Healing Again
by becsmc
Summary: SEQUEL TO 'FAMILY IS KEY' SPOILERS It's been nearly a year since Ivy lost Nate. She's changed. Distant from everyone who hold hers dear. Stef makes it her duty to get back the daughter she once had. How will Ivy heal? Or will she heal at all... T for language, sexual references and minor drug use.
1. Changes

It's been nearly ten months since the death of Nate Troit. Beloved son/step-son. Adored teacher by all students. Best friend. Loving boyfriend. He had been gone from all of their lives from nearly a year. And it still hurt. Like it never will never stop hurting. Ever.

Especially to Ivy. Last time you saw her, you'd think she had have gotten better as time went on, right? Turns out that's not the case. If anything she had gotten worse. Ivy thought she could deal with Nate's death and carry on with life, the way it used to be. Well, not totally how it used to be. But either way she and everyone else was wrong. Ivy couldn't deal with it in anyway. A lot of things happened after his death regarding his death that she just...broke. Distant from everyone. Including Stef. Stef tries to ignore it and tries to tell herself that Ivy hasn't been distant but, deep down she knew. But they never really said anything or acted upon it, all they could do was just accept it and hope that one day the Ivy they knew would come back to them.

* * *

"She's not home _again_?" Jesus said with a panic in his voice. He ran his fingers through his long brown locks and took out his phone. He began to scroll through his contacts before it being lightly took away from his hands, he looked up and reached out for it "Wha-mom!"

"We can't keep doing this. Better yet you can't" Stef laid on lightly as she put the phone down onto the kitchen table, with Lena behind her, her facial expression being in full agreement with what Stef had been saying. Jesus looked at his moms, confused "What're you talking about?"

Stef gulped heavily, Lena rubbed Stef's back and spoke for her "Honey you" she took a deep breath and started again "When Ivy first started acting out like this, we were all worried. We called her every night to see where she was and interrogated her every morning when we found her on the couch looking like a state...we did that for months and yet she still reacts the same, she pushes everyone away...Jesus what I'm trying to say is that Ivy is a grown woman, we can't treat her like a child. I know she's your _sister_ and you love her but at the end of the day, she's old enough to know what we're doing. We've just got to back off a little"

Jesus looked to Lena, then Stef and then Lena again. He went to fight back but he already realized that she was right. He was older now, he was more mature and more understanding. But he was all the more protective because of how Ivy was now... _reckless_. Jesus nodded and took his phone back, he locked it and slid it in his pockets "Fine. Fine. I'm just worried, I know she hasn't been the same since Nate died and y'know with...what happened after but-I don't know I guess I thought she'd-"

"Go back to being the happy hippie she once was?" Stef said with a small, tight smile. Jesus sighed as he nodded, pursing his lips as he looked away from them.

Stef placed her hands on his shoulders "You are the best brother any sister could ask for, she knows how much you love her. She may not act like she does anymore but she knows" Stef kissed her son's cheek and then patted his shoulders "You should go to bed. It's almost twelve"

"It's saturday" Jesus said with a laugh.

"Yeah and where is everyone else" Lena laughed back "Upstairs in bed"

"Not asleep though" Jesus raised his eyebrows with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Fine, okay then just go in your bedroom and watch some movie in bed or whatever just go on" Stef laughed, patting his shoulders again before dropping her arms from him completely. Jesus rolled his eyes and nodded "Okay, okay" he turned around and began to go to the stairs.

"And hey, remember when you see Ivy tomorrow you don't say anything other than 'did you have a good night' right?"

"Right. Night moms, love you"

"We love you" the two women said at the same time. Stef huffed as she turned back to Lena "How is it that Jesus is now the more sensible one than Ivy?"

Lena shrugged and leaned on the kitchen table "She's lashing out"

"At who?"

Lena then pulled another shrug and rubbed her hands together "The world? For taking Nate and..." Lena bowed her head down for a moment and looked back at Stef. Stef knew what she meant, she nodded and rubbed Lena's hand "Yeah, I know...I can't go to sleep knowing she's still out" Stef said looking to the front door, just waiting for it to ring or open.

"I'll put on some coffee" Lena pushed her self up and walked over to the coffee machine.

* * *

An hour later and their prayers were finally answered. There was a knock at the door. Stef and Lena walked over at a fast place and opened the door to Milo and Lottie stood in front them, with Ivy swooped up in Milo's arms "Evening, Mrs and Mrs Adams Foster" Milo said with a small smile.

The two women looked at them unimpressed. But Lottie shook her head "We didn't go out with her, we didn't even know she was out...Ivy called me about half an hour ago in a club, drunk and shouting for us to go out with her. We went but only to get her" she reassured them. Stef looked at Lottie right in the eyes and knew she was telling the truth. Stef and Lena then looked at their unconscious daughter. Stef swept the hair away from Ivy's face and muttered "What are we going to do with you?" she then looked to Milo and Lottie and nodded for them to come in.

Milo glanced to Lottie and said "You got her bag, babe?"

Lottie waved the bag back and fourth and nodded "Yeah"

It didn't take long for Milo to realize that he was still in love with Lottie. He broke up with Sarah and waited a few weeks before they got together. Officially they have been back together for going on eight months, one month after Nate's death. Since then they don't really party as much, like Ivy and Nate didn't when they were sorting out their lives together. Hopefully they'll have more... _luck_.

"I'll carry her to her room then" Milo nodded as he held onto Ivy tighter, walking through the house into the back. Lottie slid her hands in her back pockets and looked to Stef and Lena "I'm sorry that you have to go through this. Ivy is...she's not coping as well as she plastered on just after he died"

"We know, sweetie, I think Nate's death was just the half of it"

Lottie nodded in agreement and bit her bottom lip "Does she say anything about it? Or even him anymore?"

Stef and Lena looked at each other, trying to remember the last time she even said Nate's name. It's been a long while that's for certain. They looked back at Lottie, their silence spoke to her.

"Yeah, I thought so" Lottie said with a heavy heart. A short time after, Milo came back into the house, quietly closing the door. Not wanting to wake anyone up and walked over to the front door to where the three women still stood "She's out like a light. I've got a feeling she'll need a lot of coffee and paracetamol tomorrow"

"Just say aspirin like a normal person"

Lottie rolled her eyes with a light laugh. Milo shrugged, he couldn't help it. He was British. Stef and Lena mumbled a laugh, Lena then spoke up "Thank you, for bringing her home we really appreciate it"

"It's no problem at all, we just want her to be safe" Milo nodded as he put his hand on Lottie's back "Yeah we do...could you ask her to call or text me in the morning?" Lottie added with a plea in her tone. Stef nodded and rubbed Lottie's arm briefly "Of course" she then looked to Milo and pointed to him "And I'll see you on Monday" Milo smiled and gave her a small salute "Yes Officer Adams-Foster, see you on Monday" Lena opened the door for them.

"Bye you two" Lena said with a small.

"Cya later" the pair both said as they walked out of the door. Milo swooped his arm over Lottie's shoulder and let out a big sigh "What?" she mumbled. Milo sighed again through his nose and pulled out the bag out of his pocket "She's still smoking weed" Lottie's jaw slightly dropped. Ivy told Lottie that she stopped it.

"You're not gonna tell Stef and Lena are you?"

Milo just shook his head as he put the bag back in his pocket. Lottie gulped heavily and muttered "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. She won't listen to anyone these days, I-well we thought it was just a phase"

"Long freaking phase"

Milo kissed the top of Lottie's head "I know. We've just got to try and make sure she doesn't do anything worse"

* * *

9am, Ivy's eyes slowly opened as she felt a nudge of her shoulder. She looked up to see Stef standing over her, with a cup of coffee in her hand and an aspirin in the other. She wasn't smiling at her, she just looked...fed up. Stef cleared her throat and put the coffee and aspirin on the side table as Ivy slowly sat up rubbing her eyes. Stef tilted her head and spoke in a slight bitter tone "Fun night?"

"Hardly even remember it" Ivy grumbled keeping her hands over her eyes for a moment. She then pulled her hands away and looked up to Stef "Time?"

"About nine am" Stef shrugged, she pointed to the aspirin "That will sort your head out" she then walked over to Ivy's wardrobe and picked out a sweat shirt and her sweat pants. Laying them out on the bed as Ivy placed the pill in her mouth, swigging it down with her coffee. Ivy made an 'ah' sound as she swallowed the drink and put it back on the table. Stef turned to Ivy "Are you hungry"

Ivy looked to her and shrugged "Sure"

Stef rubbed her lips and tugged on Ivy's shirt "Get out of these, I'll put them in the wash"

Ivy stood up and took of her shirt, passing it over to Stef, she glanced at her before putting on her sweat shirt and muttered "No lecture?"

Stef looked back to Ivy from the shirt in her hands, Ivy now had her back to her. Stef softly answered back "I'm tired of giving you lectures, sweetheart. I'm just thankful that you didn't wake up still drunk out of your mind that I had to bathe you like baby just like I had to two weeks ago"

Ivy gulped heavily and bit her bottom lip, not replying at all. She didn't even turn around to look at Stef. And Stef just _accepted_ it. She was used to it by now. More than she cares to admit. Stef walked over to the door "Come in the kitchen when you're ready"

"Okay" Ivy muttered.

"Oh and Lottie also wanted you to text her"

Ivy then turned around with her eyebrows furrowed she shrugged "When did she say that"

Stef sighed and raised her eyebrows "Last night, better yet this morning when she and Milo brought you home. You rang them asking them to come and join you for drinks but instead they found you and brought you home"

Ivy nodded and looked back down to her phone "Right" pretending that she remembered now that Stef mentioned it but really she had no idea. Stef left Ivy to it. When she heard the door shut, Ivy dropped the phone and rubbed her eyes again. She held the palm of her left hand to her forehead and took deep breaths, running her tongue across her bottom lip she let out a shaky breath. She brought her hand down to her chest, over her heart and gripped onto her sweatshirt. She glanced over to the photo of Nate she had beside her bed side table. Looking as if he was smiling at her. Sometimes she couldn't stand it. Especially when she gets in states like this.

Ivy picked her phone up from the bed and sent a quick, brief text to Lottie **Hi, honey. Thanks for last night. Sorry for being a pain.**

She slid her phone in her pocket, along with putting her hands in both as she walked up to the house. She took her right hand out of her pocket and opened the kitchen door to find the rest of her family surrounded by the table, eating their breakfast. They all looked up to her, with little smiles on their faces.

Ivy gave them a forced, tight smile and said as she shut the door "Morning, family"

Ivy sat next Callie. Across the way from Brandon and Jesus. Jude was on the very on of the table with Lena as Stef was at the top of the table with Mariana. Ivy lightly scratched her forehead as Stef poured her another cup of coffee "Thanks" she muttered as she held the warm mug in her hand. Ivy put cereal in her bowl and poured in some milk, she hardly even spoke. It was like this most mornings now.

"Good night last night?" Ivy looked up to Jesus's big brown eyes. She rubbed her lip together and cleared her throat as she chewed down her cereal. Ivy gave him a little nod with her eyebrows slightly raised "Yeah, it was good"

"We didn't hear you come in last night?" Mariana asked in a light tone. But still had concern written across her face. Ivy looked to her and glanced to Stef. She wasn't an idiot, obviously she wasn't going to say that she was brought home past out by Milo and Lottie. Ivy licked her bottom lip and shrugged "I came through the back...didn't want to wake any of you guys"

Mariana understood and gave her a nod with a smile.

Ivy's phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and read the text from Lottie. **It's not a problem. Btw, Milo took the bag of weed away. Just in case you were planning on blazing later.** Ivy rolled her eyes and slid her phone back in her pocket. Well it's official, Lottie was mad at her. Ivy promised her that she'd stop smoking that stuff, and she intended to stop, but she was easy to give in to it once she gets stressed or feeling...well...depressed.

"You okay, _bear_?" Stef asked in a mumble, reaching out and rubbing Ivy's arm. Ivy looked to Stef, sliding her tongue across her top teeth she nodded "Yeah, I'm fine"

* * *

"She is _not_ fine!"

"Stef" Lena strained her tone, trying to get her wife to keep her voice down. Stef put her hands on her hips and paced up and down her bedroom "I don't know what to do anymore Lena! It's like I don't even know this girl anymore, she looks like Ivy and speaks like Ivy but she is just a totally- _totally_ different person"

Lena sighed as she sat on the bed, glancing down at the duvet, she didn't comment.

"We've been trying so hard with her" Stef cried in a whisper looking to the ceiling. Lena took her eyes back to Stef and took hold of her wife's hand "I know...it's...it's stressful" Stef looked to Lena, tapping her foot to try and keep her emotions from rising to the surface, but you could hear it all in her voice "I don't blame her. I don't...but I just don't understand what I-what _we_ can do or say anymore"

"Why don't you suggest her going to see a therapist again?"

Stef let out a dry laugh and shook her head "No. Not after last time"

 _Two weeks ago..._

 _Stef walked into Ivy's room. She didn't hear her come in last night. She walked in to find Ivy on the floor of her bedroom, out cold. It sent Stef into an instant panic "Ivy?!" she yelled, running over and kneeling down in front of Ivy, cupping her face and shaking her "Ivy! Ivy! Wake up, come on wake up!" Ivy's eyes slowly began to open "That's it, come on" Stef shook her more lightly. Ivy sat up, she looked at Stef in the eyes and then suddenly snapped her head to the side and threw up on the floor. Stef leaned back on her knees and sighed deeply as Ivy coughed out. Ivy's eyes were so droopy, she looked like she was going to pass out. In fact, she was. Stef grabbed her to prevent her from falling back to the floor "No you don't" Stef lifted Ivy off her feet. She was surprisingly stronger than she let on as she lifted Ivy over her shoulder and carried her into the bathroom._

 _She turned the bath on. In the mean time she had to wake Ivy up. She was in the clothes from the previous night so they were going to get in the wash anyway. Stef took the shower head from the bath and turned it on, she even put it on cold to give that extra alarming feel to Ivy as she hosed her down "Wake up Ivy!" Ivy's eyes shot open "Jesus Christ!" she shrieked, holding her hands up to try and block the water out._

 _"Yeah Jesus Christ, that was my thoughts exactly when I found you drunk out of your mind_ _unconscious..._ _again"_

 _Stef turned off the shower. Ivy was clearly still in no fit state to undress herself never mind bathe by herself. So Stef had to undress and get Ivy in the bath. Ivy just sat there as Stef wiped her body down "Where did you go last night then?"_

 _"Erm...I don't even know some club-I'm not even sure where"_

 _Stef slid the wet sponge down Ivy's back and looked at her from behind "How'd you get home. Please don't tell me you drove"_

 _Ivy shook her head and mumbled "Called a cab"_

 _"Well, at least you had some sense still left in you" Stef passed her the sponge so Ivy could wipe her arms and the rest of the front of her body. Stef squeezed the shampoo in her head and put in on Ivy's head "You've been smoking pot again haven't you"_

 _"What? No I-"_

 _"Ivy your clothes stink of it. So don't even bother" Stef muttered in a disappointed tone. Ivy bit her lip and didn't comment. A part of her felt like apologizing but...she just stayed silent._

 _"You can't keep doing this" she heard Stef say, finally breaking the silence._

 _"I don't see what the problem is"  
_

 _Stef stopped washing the shampoo in Ivy's hair and dropped her hands "The problem, Ivy, is that I hate seeing you in these states. I hate having to reassure the kids that you come home safe in one peace because they worry about you so much. I hate that you don't even think that much of yourself anymore that you just do this nearly every weekend...you're barely keeping your job the amount of times you show up late now and call in sick. You're lucky mama is the vice and convinces Monte to keep you on...it's been nearly eight months since what happened-happened"_

 _"You don't think I know that? Nine months since Nate and..." Ivy hitched her breath and shook her head "Do you even have a point?" Stef began to rinse the shampoo out of Ivy's hair and didn't give her an answer. Yet. Ivy got out of the bath, now freshly clean and dressed in her sweats, which is what she now wears 90% of the the time when she's at home. When they went back into the living room, Ivy was drying her hair down with the towel. That was when Stef decided to answer Ivy's question "I do have a point to what I was saying before"_

 _"Which is?" Ivy asked, not looking at Stef as she continued to rub the towel against her head. Stef gulped heavily and took a deep breath "I think you should go talk to someone...go see a therapist?"_

 _Ivy stopped rubbing the towel on her head and slowly looked to Stef "Are you joking?"_

 _Stef shook her head and clasped her hands together "Ivy. What you're doing it's-it's not healthy, mentally you're-"_

 _"Don't even dare finish that sentence!" Ivy snapped and pointed at her with the towel still in her hand "You know what I've been through!"_

 _"Exactly, I know what you've been through...and that's-"_

 _"You think that me being the way I am means I'm crazy? That I'm being reckless? Putting myself in danger!? I'm twenty one freaking years old! Going out and getting drunk is not out of the ordinary for my age group"_

 _"No it's not, you're right but it's why you're doing it"_

 _Ivy's face dropped, she lowered her arm and tilted her head ever so slightly "What is that supposed to mean?"_

 _Stef felt her eyes fill up, she spoke in a whisper "Honey, everything that has happened...you're punishing yourself"_

 _Ivy hitched out a laugh, she nodded looking down at the floor and bit her lip "Punishing myself"_

 _Stef closed her eyes for a moment and let out a sigh "God...Ivy I didn't mean-"_

 _"Get out" Ivy shook her head, throwing her towel aside causing it to hit the wall, she walked over to the bed, Stef followed and muttered as she placed her hand on Ivy's back "Baby please-"_

 _"Get out, mom" Ivy pushed Stef's hand off her back by fiercely pulling her shoulder forward. Stef stepped backwards. Ivy didn't say anything. She didn't look at her. She just sat on the bed, legs crossed. Back to Stef. Not saying or moving anything._

 _Eventually after a minute of a long silence, she left._

Lena pursed her lips and looked to the floor for a second, still holding onto Stef's hand. Lena looked back to Stef, whose eyes stayed on Lena the entire time. They didn't say anything, Lena just pulled Stef into her arms and held her.

As their children, all except Ivy. Heard the whole conversation on the other side of the door.

* * *

 **Depressing start? Oops.**

 **Ivy has really changed from who she used to be huh? Poor Stef, she's trying so hard.**

 **So this is the start of my sequel, hope you guys stick with me to see who will help to melt down Ivy's now frozen heart.**

 **What do you think happened to Ivy after Nate's death? Don't worry. I won't keep you in the dark with that for _too_ long ;)**

 **Please leave reviews below!**


	2. Pushed Away

It was Monday morning. The kids were in school. Stef, Lena and Ivy were back in work...which funnily enough for Lena and Ivy was in fact being in school. Ivy wasn't just different with her family. She was different with her students. The kids who always had her were sad that she had gone like this but they also _understood_ why she did. But kids who were knew to either the school or the class in general, they just thought she was _moody_ from her being blunt with assignments and rarely even smiling anymore, even when she did you could tell that she was only doing it because she felt that it was necessary. Kids thought she was intimidating when she was happy boy were they in for shock when she turned the opposite.

Ivy was marking some of her students assignments, with that pencil that Nate gave her not so short from a year ago now. It was never too loud in the class, her students soon learned that as soon as they got too loud, Ivy ended up snapping at them. Ivy rested her head against her hand as she marked them. There was a sudden knock at her classroom door. Ivy looked up to the door to see Jesus, he gave her a little wave and then motioned her hand for her to go to him. Ivy rolled her eyes and then motioned her hand to him, for him to come to her. Slowly he did so.

"Hey" he whispered as he didn't want to disturb the 'mood' of the class.

"What's up?" Ivy mumbled as she glanced down at her papers.

"I forgot to give you this" Jesus pulled out his transcript that she asked in for homework. Ivy took the paper and raised her eyebrows "Thanks, Jesus, maybe next time you'll hand it in on time" Ivy gave him a sarcastic smile.

Jesus rolled his eyes "Come on Ivy-lighten up. This never used to bother you before"

"Well, a lot has changed since before" Ivy muttered looking back down at the paper. Jesus looked over to see Emma in the back of the class. Jesus and Emma have slowly been starting to get back onto a relationship path, going on what Emma likes to call _steady_ dates. Emma just shrugged her shoulders at his look as a way to say that he may as well leave Ivy to it. She knows how much he can push her. Jesus looked back to Ivy and nudged her by the shoulder "What, Jesus?"

Her tone was so sharp. Jesus licked his bottom lip, he took a deep breath and shook his head "Nothing. See you later, _sis_ " he muttered bitterly, leaving before she even had the chance to look back up at him, let alone say anything. She could have handled that better. Ivy pressed her forehead against the palm of her hand.

"Ivy?" Ivy looked up to one of her students, James. He gave her a kind smile "Are you okay?"  
Ivy nodded and leaned back in her chair "Yeah. I'm fine. Carry on with your work, okay?"

James gave her a weak nod and looked back down to his work. Ivy closed her eyes for a brief moment and then looked out the window. Her mind began to wander, like she often does.

 _"No leave this song on" Ivy slapped Nate's strong arms that were wrapped around her waist as they sat on the bed together. Nate's back against the headboard and Ivy's back against Nate's chest._

 _"We don't do this more than we should"_

 _"And what would that be? Stuffing our faces and listening to old music?" Ivy muttered with a laugh._

 _"Well, yeah. Things have been so tense lately that we never get a chance to relax"_

 _"I know" Ivy whispered as she leaned her head back onto Nate's shoulder "Things'll get better"_

 _Nate kissed Ivy's head and nodded "Yeah. They will" Ivy then sat back up and faced him. She ran her hands softly down his cheeks with a warm smile on her face. Nate laughed and his eyebrows pinched together slightly "What?"_

 _"You make me happy that's all...I feel like if you ever left me then I'd never be happy again"_

 _Nate pulled her body closer to his and kissed her softly. Deepening their kiss as his hand went to the back of her neck, pulling her lips closer. It would have escalated further if it hadn't of been for the vinyl needing to have a side change as the crackling noise of the vinyl came through. Ivy pulled away from Nate and took the needle off the record. She felt Nate rub her back "Is this really a worry of yours?"_

 _Ivy turned back to him and raised her eyebrows "Hm?"_

 _"Losing me, I mean"_

 _Ivy's reply was a simple shrug along with a small smile._

 _"Okay well you don't have to worry about that, yeah? I'm not going anywhere. I'm never gonna leave you. You're stuck with me" he said with a little laugh, he leaned back on the bed and patted back to her spot on the mattress. Ivy smirked and snuggled up close to him, she placed a kiss on his neck and whispered "Good"_

 _"You might want to get rid of me when I do this"_

 _"What? I-" Ivy stopped as a shrieked laugh escape her lips as Nate tickled her waist. She laughed out loudly as she lay on the bed. Nate lay over her and carried on tickling her "Oh my god, Nathan I swear I'll bite you" she laughed._

Their laughs echoed in her head. She was brought out of her flashback as she heard the bell ring. All the students shot up and hurried out of class. Ivy just sat there, rubbing her eyes and taking in deep breaths. She saw Emma slowly walk out of the class room.

Ivy looked at her for a moment, with hesitation she eventually spoke up "Hey...Em?" Emma stopped and looked to Ivy, with a nervous smile she gripped onto her bag strap as she walked over to her. Emma and Ivy had a good relationship...Ivy had a good relationship with everyone. But like everyone else, they became distant as she pushed her friends and family away. Ivy looked to Emma and then looked down at her pencil that was clutched in her hands "Could you...erm" her words began to shake, she looked back up to Emma, licked her bottom lip and then spoke more softly "Could you please tell Jesus that-that I'm sorry"

Emma nodded "I will" she then rubbed her lips as she then hesitated herself on what she wanted to say "But-with all due respect Ivy, why don't you just tell him yourself?"

Ivy went to answer back. She wanted to answer back. But honestly she didn't have a good enough excuse. She took in a deep breath "Just tell him for me, Emma"

Emma gulped heavily and put on a tight smile "Okay...Ivy I'm sorry if I-"

"You didn't?" Ivy muttered as she lightly shook her head, giving Emma a genuine smile. One that Emma hadn't seen for a while. When Emma left. Ivy dropped her head into her hands. Letting out a small groan. She slammed her hand down on the desk as she lifted her head back up and grabbed her jacket as she stood.

* * *

Stef sat at her desk, tapping her pencil away. She was going through her latest case. It wasn't anything big but still the files to go through were always a pain in the ass. Then again, Stef wasn't really looking at them. All she could think about was what Lena said. About how hard they were trying to keep this family together, and how hard they were trying to keep Ivy in it.

She wasn't aware how loud her tapping was until

"Are you trying to make a hole in that table?" she heard a laugh from behind her. Stef turned around to see the young police officer sat on his desk, laughing at her.

"Sorry...sorry, Caleb" Stef laughed as she put her pencil on the desk.

Caleb put his own files on his desk and walked over to her, grabbing a chair and sitting down next to her, he raised his eyebrows at her and gave her a nudge "You okay?"

Caleb was twenty six. He had been on the police force just a week or so before Nate's death. He was tall, 6 feet and 3/64 inches to be exact. Muscular built. For a gay woman Stef sure did have a joy of looking at his ripped, toned arms. His hair was a light mousy brown and had ocean blue eyes, along with a very nicely cut beard. Putting all that aside, Stef thought he was possibly one of the nicest guys she's ever worked with. She had a lot of laughs with him.

Stef huffed and scrunched her nose up for a second "Yeah just family stuff"

"Problems with the wife?" Caleb sat back in the chair.

Stef shook her head and smiled at him "No it's good in that department you could say but erm...it's my daughter really. It'll be fine"

Caleb tilted his head "You sure?"

Stef just gave him a nod and a smile as her response before adding on "But thanks, Caleb"

"Oh hey, anything for my work wife" he joked as he stood up from his chair, making her let out her first laugh of the day as he walked over to his desk. Caleb was also charming as hell. As said before, if Stef wasn't a gay woman half of her believed she would defiantly go cougar on him. Maybe even more than half. Stef spun around to face him again, as she crossed her legs she asked "Caleb. Do you have any siblings?"

Caleb looked to her and shook his head "Naw, was just me and my folks. Always wanted one though...why'd you ask?"

Stef shrugged "Just-my daughter has been distant with not just me and Lena but with her brothers and sisters too"

Caleb frowned "Gotta be rough on you all"

"It is. But we'll deal with it, we always do"

"I don't doubt that...you ever need to talk just come knock on my imaginary door"

Stef laughed "I'll keep that in mind"

"Stef" Mike's voice was then heard, causing Stef to turn around in her chair again, Mike pointed behind him "Just a heads up, Ivy has just parked up"  
Mike wasn't oblivious to the change in Ivy. He did watch the girl grow up in front of his eyes for the good fifteen years she spent here before San Francisco.

She then saw Ivy come through the door, not really looking at anyone. She gave Mike a tight smile "Hey Uncle Mike" she muttered.

"Hi, bear" Mike gave her a small kiss on the cheek, like he has been doing for years and briefly squeezed her arm "You doing okay?"Ivy tried not to roll her eyes as she gets asked that everyday in the same tone. She wondered if people would stop asking that if she had gone back to being the way she was. She just put on another smile and nodded.

Ivy walked over to Stef "Hey, ma"

"Hi sweetheart" Stef kissed Ivy's cheek and placed her hand on it before Ivy moved her head away from looking down to the ground for a moment. You could barely touch Ivy before she moves away after literally a second or two. But once again, Stef didn't comment "What's up, babe? You alright?"

"Yeah" Ivy cleared her throat "Yeah you just-you took your and my keys for the house I think" Stef grabbed her bag and looked in the pockets "Ah so I did. Sorry" she laughed.

"It's okay" Ivy mumbled with a small smile.

Stef held the keys in her hand, not giving them to her just yet. Stef tilted her head at Ivy "Hold on why do you need them anyway? We get home at the same time today. Or at least you do with mama"

Ivy rubbed her lips together and looked away from her for a moment. She looked over to see Caleb looking at them. She looked at him, emotionless. He stared at her with his eyebrows slightly raised. He tried to give her a smile but she looked away before he had the chance. Caleb chuckled and looked down to his files.

Ivy looked back to Stef when she heard her say "You've left early again haven't you"

"Yeah, so?"

Stef shut her eyes and rubbed her eyelids "Ivy you cannot keep doing this"

"What I have a headache!"

"You've been having a headache a lot lately... _maybe_ I should take you to the doctors"

"Mom stop getting all Cop on me"

"I'm only getting like this because I'm worried about your job, Ivy, mama cannot keep on protecting you given how long you've been doing this for"

Ivy shrugged and sighed "Okay well I'm still gonna go home today. Mama doesn't have to protect me, let Monte do whatever the hell she wants"

Stef's jaw dropped ever so slightly "Ivy-"

"Stef we need you in here" Captain Robert's called from the board room. Stef sighed, she placed her hands on her hips and called without turning around "Right now?"

"Yep!"

Ivy then spoke in a whisper "Duty calls" she took the keys out of Stef hand and walked away before Stef was able to say anything. A huge part of her wanted to just run after her and have another kind of argument with her but like Ivy said. _Duty calls_. Stef gulped heavily, bit her tongue and walked to the board room. Caleb's eyes followed her, observing what just happened, he caught on that Ivy was the infamous 'distant daughter' that Stef was on about.

A little while after. Stef came back out from her meeting. Seeing that Ivy didn't come back like she would have done this time last year, it felt like a punch in the gut to Stef.

"So that as your distant daughter" Caleb stated from sitting behind his desk, Stef looked to him and walked over to her chair "Yep. That's the one"

"She's older than I thought"

Stef muttered a laugh and faced him "Yeah. I was young, but I didn't give birth to her...Ivy is biologically my sister's daughter but...you know my sister was a head case, practically handed me Ivy over from birth and I raised her"

Caleb grew a small smile. It really warmed his heart, hearing how much Stef and Lena do for kids who don't have it as good as everyone else.

"She's just had a rough time"

"With a mother like you?"

"Well. No, but having a mother like my sister would have had something to do with it. When Ivy was fifteen my sister just showed up and took her away for almost six years and when Ivy came back a little over a year ago...a lot of baggage came back with her"

"Ah, I gotcha...look Stef, I don't know the girl. And by the cold shoulder I was given it seems like I'm not going to know her that well" he laughed.

"Don't take it personally she does that to everyone these days" Stef grumbled as she looked down at her shoes.

"Right, anyway...I'm _sure_ that you'll figure something out...why don't you...I don't know call someone who she knows that'll cheer her up"

Stef then looked up, not at Caleb but looked up non the less as an idea sprung into her head. Caleb raised his eyebrows as he saw the look on her face and chuckled "Did I just contribute to an idea?"

"You did" Stef then looked back to Caleb. She let out a bright smile, she walked-better yet ran over to Caleb and planted a kiss on the top of his head "Thank you!"

"Whoa, Officer Foster learn to control yourself" Caleb said in a higher pitched tone as he straightened his shirt, pretending to look all flustered. Stef laugh and pushed his head as she walked way.

* * *

Ivy lay on the couch in the kitchen area. Eyes shut, with her music blasting out in her head phones. She don't even know how long she has been lay there, but she figured it would have been a while as she felt someone sit by the side of her feet. Ivy slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see Jesus looking at her in the corner of his eye "So you're sorry, huh?"

Ivy took her earphones out and sat up "Yeah..." she mumbled as she looked down at her hands that were on her knees.

"You don't have to get Emma to tell me that...you used to be able to say that to me just fine back in the day"

"I know but things have changed...I've-"

"Changed. Yeah I get it. It's no freaking secret, Ivy" Jesus's tone strained, trying his best _not_ to raise his voice.

"Jesus...I"

"You know you've done exactly what I begged you not to do, you've pushed anyone and everyone away that ever cared and loved you" Jesus pointed to her, he then pointed around the house as he said "And this family? This family would run through fire just to make sure you'd get better"

"But you don't need to! This is not on you guys okay? This is on _me_ "

"You don't get the point!" Jesus's voice got louder, pointed her hands to her "It's not right for you to try and deal with this... _shit_ on your own" Ivy then felt his hand lie on top of hers "It's my job to-"

"No it's not" Ivy stopped him as she held her free hand up to him, she licked her bottom lip and hitched her breath "It's not your job to do anything regarding me, Jesus. You're my little brother, you don't have to take care of my, it's not your job"

"Yeah well...you won't take care of yourself so it's up to us"

"Don't start, I get enough of this from mom"

"Yeah well mom is working her ass off to try and make _you_ happy again!" he gripped onto her hand a little bit tighter "Ivy...they're gone-"

Ivy gulped heavily and just shook her head "If you think that this pep talk is helping in anyway then you are so off the mark" she looked away from him, no longer saying a word. Jesus stared at her for a moment. He felt like crying. This girl he was looking at...wasn't the sister he once had, who he played video games with, who he teased all the time. Who he could talk to about anything and know that she would be thinking so hard about how she could help him. Who was she now? A shell of who she was before.

Ivy felt his hand slowly slip away as he stood up "Yeah, okay Ivy" he muttered as he walked away. As he walked out of the kitchen, Mariana walked in. She took a glance at his gloomy face and then looked at Ivy. She put on a nervous small smile and said in a quiet tone "Hi"

Ivy nodded and sighed as she put her earphones back in "Hi, Mari" she lay back on the couch and shut her eyes. Shutting everyone else out with it.

* * *

"So when can you get here?"

 _"Well when do you want me?"_

Stef looked up to the ceiling and shrugged "Straight away. I really need you...so does Ivy to be honest"

 _"I'll get on the way first thing in the morning"_

"Thank you, mom"

 _"Anything for my daughter and granddaughter"_

* * *

 **Poor Stef and Jesus. They only want to help.**

 **Sharon is coming back! Yay!**

 **So what do you guys think of Stef's charming colleague Caleb?**

 **Please leave reviews below**


	3. Look who's back

That night, Ivy went round to Lottie and Milo's. She hadn't seen them since they brought her home on Saturday and even then she didn't remember them bringing her home so to her, she hadn't really seen them in like a week. And she knew that Lottie was annoyed with her. Someone passing by in the apartment building let Ivy in. She went up to the flat. The flat where Nate once lived...where he his bed still remained. She tried to avoid coming here as much as she could. Ivy gulped heavily and banged on the door twice. A moment or two later, the door opened.

"Ivy" Milo said with a warm smile. Ivy returned the expression "Hey"

He stared at her for a moment and then opened the door further, stepping to the side lightly and motioning his arm to the inside "Come in"

Ivy gave him another small smile and stepped inside the apartment to find Lottie sat on the couch, staring at the paused screen of a _Boy Meets World_ episode. Lottie turned her head to Ivy and smiled "Hi"

"Hi, honey" Ivy walked over and gave her friend a kiss. She looked back to the screen. Milo scratched the back of his head and put on a chuckle "Yeah we've been having a marathon"

Ivy motioned her hand to the screen and nodded "He loved this one. With Shawn dressing like a girl" she let out a small and brief laugh "It was one of his favorites"

It was silent for a moment, Milo looked between the two woman and then walked into the kitchen "I'll put the kettle on, tea or coffee, Ivy?"

"Coffee, please" Ivy muttered as she sat on the couch chair at the side of Lottie. Her eyes flew to Nate's bedroom door. Lottie looked at her and reached for her hand "Hey" she grabbed her attention, Ivy took her eyes back to Lottie "Yeah?"

"How are you since Saturday? You hit it hard... _again_ "

Ivy nodded and looked down to her hand "I'm fine"

Milo came back over with two mugs in his hand, he handed one to Ivy and said as he did "You don't look fine when you're in those states" Ivy took the cup from his hands and rolled her eyes "Don't worry I've already had this lecture"

Lottie took her cup from Milo as he sat down next to her and shook her head "Not enough, clearly. You keep doing it"

"Do you guys not remember when we used to always go out?"

"Yeah but..." Milo looked to Lottie for a moment, debating on whether he should say what he was about to say, but he went for it anyway as he looked back to Ivy and said "That was when Nate was alive and you were being more responsible...now you're just"

" _Reckless_ " Ivy quoted her mothers words and raised her eyebrows "Yeah once again I've heard it before"

"Once again, it's not enough _clearly_ " Lottie muttered as she took a sip of her drink "If your mom can't get through to you then who can"

"You know who would"

"But he's not here anymore" Milo said in a soft tone as he lightly shook his head.

"Thank you for that update" she muttered as she placed the mug back down on the table. Lottie leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, she clutched her hands together "Where has our friend gone?"

Ivy looked to her, she didn't know what to say at first. To be honest she felt rather stunned. Ivy gulped heavily and shrugged, she knew that she had changed, she did. Ivy stood up and muttered "I don't even know"

She began to walk towards Nate's room. Milo and Lottie stared at each other with worried look on their faces, their heads snapped to Ivy. Milo knelt up on the couch "Ivy wait!"

But it was too late anyway, Ivy opened the door and was shocked to see that Nate's room was no longer...Nate's room. It was empty. A stripped bed and boxes. Ivy dropped her hand down the door and stared around the room. She slowly turned her head back to their guilty faces "The hell is this?"

"We...we were going to-"

"Tell me? Did you intend on doing that before or after?"

"Before but...well with everything that happened with you, losing-"

"Okay. Yeah. Just stop your sentence"

"Ivy, don't be like this with us. It's been nearly a year-"

"I know" Ivy covered her eyes and sighed "I know it's been nearly a year, I know it had to of happened sooner or later I just wished you guys would have told me you were doing it so I could be here and..." she didn't even know where she was going with her sentence. Nate was still a very sensitive topic for her.. If anyone did anything to do with Nate without her knowledge then, she'd almost get _offended_. She couldn't help it.

"We're sorry, Ivy, we really. But you've hardly been in the right state to handle things like this"

Ivy glanced over to the kitchen counter and noticed something she _wanted_. Normally she would fight back with them, but if she was going to get that bag that Milo has yet to throw away, then she was better off leaving them and leaving altogether. Ivy looked down to her phone and gasped, pretending that she had something on her phone "I'm sorry guys. My mom just texted me, emergency back at home"

Milo and Lottie's eyes followed her to the coat rack near the front door "What emergency? Is everything okay?" Lottie said bluntly, crossing her arms. She wasn't buying it. Ivy was a good actor but she wasn't _that_ good. Ivy shuffled over to the kitchen counter and subtly took the bag and slid it into her pocket as she shrugged and stuttered "O-Oh it's nothing major-but still I better go! Bye guys"

"Later-"

Milo was quickly cut off as the door shut. Milo sighed and drop his hands back down "Well, that was brief...I wonder what's happened"

"You do realize that there was no family emergency. She was lying"

Milo's eyebrows pinched together, he scoffed and shrugged "Why would she-"

"The bag of weed you didn't throw away is gone" Lottie sighed, shutting her eyes for a moment before walking into the bathroom as Milo stood up and walked over to the counter to see for himself. Yes. It was gone. He should have flushed it ages ago but he just kept on forgetting, sometimes he barely even noticed it was there. But Lottie told him to leave it when she got the text that Ivy was coming over, so she could judge for herself if Ivy was coming round to see her friends...or if she was just coming round to get her drug. At first, it was purely for the first reason. But when Ivy saw it on the counter, she just couldn't resist.

Milo slammed his hand on the counter and bowed his head down, pressing his forehead against his clenched fist. He took a deep breath and pushed himself back up and fell back down onto the couch.

* * *

Ivy got home and went straight to her room. She rolled up her joint, lit it and inhaled the sweet addiction she had possessed. Sometimes she just lay on her bed as she enjoyed her _high time_. But other times, when stoned she did some writing. Her book that she started when she arrived back home never got finished. She actually didn't even know where it was on her laptop. She started a new story a whole ago. More dark, more painful...to simply match with her own. This time, she chose writing. Ideas poured out of her like a waterfall. She could stay up writing for hours and yet it would only feel like minutes to her. With her music blasting out stoned and having a her mug of coffee that was practically a bucket at her side. She was set.

Ivy didn't spend that much time writing this time however. She smoked the rest of her joint, sprayed herself down with perfume to cover the smell from her family and went in the house, to give Lena her laundry.

Ivy brought her basket into the kitchen. Lena looked up to Ivy and gave her a soft smile "Thanks buba...your set of clean clothes from yesterday are upstairs in mine and mom's room" Ivy tapped her fingers on the basket and gave a small nod "Okay. Thanks"

Ivy went to walk away and then felt the grab of her hand, Ivy looked up to Lena. Asking her what she wanted by just the look in her eyes. Lena stared at her for a moment and then spoke in a soft, quiet tone "I know you were just smoking in there"

"Mama...what I do in there-"

"Is your business. I know. You've said. But it's a little different when you're bringing drugs into the house"

"I'm not bringing drugs into the house. I'm taking it out into my own space, besides it's just a doobie. It's not like I'm smoking crack"

"Don't joke Ivy" Lena shook her head.

"I'm not! I'm trying to make a point"

"It doesn't matter what drug you're smoking. Any drug at all is bad, and I know you're old enough to make your own choices but I'm your mother and it's still my job to try and point you in the right direction"

Ivy sighed through her nose and looked down at Lena's hand "Are you gonna tell mom?"

She then heard Lena sigh, which made her look up to Lena. She could see how she was conflicting it all. Lena then looked back to Ivy and licked her bottom lip "No...I won't tell her...this time. But only because I don't think she needs more stress"

"That _I've_ caused"

Lena didn't comment, she didn't agree nor disagree. Which Ivy just found it as her way of agreeing. Ivy slid her hand away from Lena "Thanks" she muttered again before walking upstairs.

Ivy walked into the bedroom and walked over to the basket. She went through and found her clothes. Folding them up and sorting them to the side. She soon heard the sound of the doorbell ring. She took no notice and carried on folding her shirt.

"Grandma!" Jude bellowed from downstairs.

"Who's missed me!?" The voice of Sharon pulled Ivy to a complete stop, still holding her shirt up she stared straight ahead as she heard her grandmother make her usual loud noise as she came into the house. Ivy slowly folded the shirt and left her clothes on the bed as she made her way down the stairs. She saw the glimpse of Sharon at the top of the stairs, all the rest of the kids surrounding her and giving her a hug. Lena looked up to see Ivy staring and nodded for her to come down. Sharon saw Ivy make her way down the stairs in the corner of her eye and pulled back from hugging Callie.

"Well look at you" Sharon said in an excited high pitched tone. Ivy pulled a soft, half forced smile and spoke in a quiet tone "Hey grams"

Sharon opened her arms and waved her hands towards her "Come here" Ivy walked into Sharon's embrace and held her tightly. It had been a while since Sharon visited. In fact the last time Sharon did visit, Ivy was okay. She was healing. But something big had happened since then. The thing that tipped her off the edge. Sharon ran her fingers through Ivy's soft blonde hair and whispered "How's my girl?"

Ivy pulled back and slid her hands in her pockets "I'm doing fine" the sound of Jesus scoffing the background rung through everyone's ears. Ivy glanced to him but said nothing, she quickly took her eyes back to Sharon "So, what brings you for a visit?"

Sharon's mouth opened to say something, but it seemed that her words got jammed in her throat "W-we-well does a grandmother need an excuse to see her grand-babies? Hm?"

"Of course not" Ivy muttered, giving her a smile but not believing any of it. It was silent for a brief moment. Lena looked at Ivy and then spoke up "Well, it's lunch time so kids why don't you take Grandma into the kitchen and we'll get some food started"

"Lovely!" Sharon chuckled as she patted Jesus on the back, as the kids moved into the kitchen Sharon's voice grew faint at her distance "So why aren't you kids in school?"

"There was a gas leak"

"Ah"

Ivy stood in front of Lena and crossed her arms "When did mom call her?"

Lena went to pull a little white lie but what was the point. Ivy wasn't stupid. Sharon doesn't usually just turn up unexpected. Lena gulped "Yesterday afternoon. After you went to see her at the station"

Ivy nodded and looked away from Lena for a brief moment "So what? Is this supposed be your guys another attempt at a therapy session?"

"Ivy, your mom just thought that-"

"That getting grams here would make me listen if there was a third member on your behalf" Ivy nodded in a bitter tone. She rubbed her eyelids and slapped her hand back down to her leg "Don't get me wrong I love having her here...but when it's for the wrong reasons...not so much" Ivy turned away and walked into the kitchen.

* * *

An hour or so later, Stef came home a little bit earlier as Caleb said he would cover for her. Everyone apart from Brandon who was in his room working on his music and Jude who was on a phone call to Connor was in the kitchen with Sharon. Stef came in the kitchen and smiled brightly "Hi everyone! Hey mom!" She walked over to Sharon and gave her a hug and a kiss. As she hugged her, Sharon mumbled "I understand what you mean now" Stef looked back to her and just raised her eyebrows as if you say 'See'

Stef's eyes caught with Ivy and could tell that she wasn't too impressed by Stef's motives for bringing Sharon here. Stef walked over to Ivy and ran her arm around her shoulder "I know you might think I did this for all the wrong reasons...but I'm just...I'm just worried about you okay? And grams, she wanted to see you"

"Okay, mom"

"You're not mad?"

"No" Ivy didn't make any eye contact, she just looked down at her hands. Stef just accepted it as always and placed a kiss on the top of her head "I love you"

"Yeah...love you too"

* * *

Caleb said he'd cover for Stef and he kept to his word. He and Mike went to a house that was on suspicion of possessing 'extreme' drugs. It was cleared up rather quickly. They watched two other officers take the two drug dealers away. Mike and Caleb began to walk towards their car which was further down the road. Caleb was the bait, he dressed in normal clothes pretending to be a new customer whilst Mike and the two other officers waited outside. Caleb slid his hands into his front jean pockets "So. What's with your daughter?"

Mike looked at him, eyebrows raised he nervous chuckled "My what?"

"Well. Stef's eldest daughter. Surely she can't be adopted, they look too much alike for her to be adopted"

"Oh" Mike laughed, he rubbed his forehead and then shook his head "You're right she's not adopted. But she's not my daughter. She's my niece, Stef's sister Kath had Ivy and basically wanted nothing to do with her, Stef raised her"

"Ah I see! She may look like Stef but...boy she doesn't seem like her"

Mike looked to Caleb and grew a sad look on his face "She used to be...and more...she was so full of life. She could light up a room with her smile and her wit"

"And now?"

Mike shrugged "And now she's not"

Caleb looked to his phone "What happened?"

Mike too a deep breath and scratched his forehead "She was taken away for a couple of years by Stef's sister. Came back last year...there was this boyfriend she had before she was taken away. The love of her life I guess...everything was fine...great even...and then" Mike looked to Caleb and muttered "You remember the murder of the young teacher, couple of weeks after you joined us? Nate Troit?"

Caleb nodded and cleared his throat "Yeah, first tragedy I guess that happened since I moved his...but what" Mike raised his eyebrows to him. Caleb felt a lump in his throat...it felt like it dried up "Oh...she was the girl..."

" _Tragic strikes outside of Anchor Beach high school as loved teacher left for dead in the arms of his loving girlfriend_ " Mike quoted. Remembering the title like he only read it yesterday. Caleb bowed his head down for a moment and rubbed his nose "Wow. Understandable that it's what changed her"

"Yeah...that and another reason"

"Which was?"

Mike opened the car door and went to reply. But, he couldn't. He covered Caleb with the brief facts...but telling him more deeper stuff. He could get into trouble for doing things such as that "Fancy grabbing a burger?" Mike swiftly changed the subject as he slid into the car. Caleb knew that Mike was trying to go off subject, and allowed it.

"Sure"

* * *

Later on that night. The family wanted to all watch a film. Well all except Ivy. She'd just be happy in her room. But that wasn't an option for her clearly. They chose a film that all the kids agreed they loved as a kid. Toy Story 2. They watched the first one not too long ago and didn't feel like repeating it too soon. So they all huddled together like usual and watched the film.

"I tell ya, this film cracks me up" Sharon chuckled as she shoved popcorn in her mouth. They were more than halfway into the film. A sudden emotional scene came on. Along with the heartbreaking film that touches everyone who has ever laid their eyes on this film.

 _When she loved me._

Now isn't that ironic? A song that you never thought would connect to your current life and situation does the exact job through a _kids film_. Who'd have thought it. Certainly not Ivy. She felt Stef's eyes look to her. Ivy deep down knew how much those lyrics connected with her and Stef. And deep down it also hurt. So much that she stood up and left the room. Stef watched her and then looked to Lena, she stood up and followed her out as the lyrics poured out more and more.

 _She began to drift away. I was left alone. Still I waited for the day when she'd say "I will always love you"_

Stef found Ivy in the kitchen, hands pressed down against the kitchen table, head bowed down she heard a sniffle. She was crying. Stef rubbed her hands together as she walked towards her "Ivy"

"Did you pick the goddamn movie out too" Ivy said with a dry laugh as she walked over to the fridge.

"Ivy not everything that is done is to strike a core with you"

"Just about ninety percent of the time then yeah?" Ivy shot a look at her as she opened the fridge, she pulled out a beer that was quickly snatched out of her hand "What the-"

"A beer? No, no way have a glass of water or some coffee but you're cutting back on beer"

Ivy raised her eyebrows "Oh do you think I have a problem or something?"

"You're _close_ to me thinking that"

Ivy nodded and wiped her falling tears. Stef reached out for her but Ivy walked away before she had the chance "Baby I'm sorry you got so upset-"

"Leave it. Okay. It's not _just_ about you it reminded me of...everything that I've lose"

"Ivy-"

Ivy held up her hands and shook her hand "If you don't mind I'm going to go to bed. Tell the family I said goodnight" she walked over to the back doors and walked outside to her room. Stef stared at the door for a moment and then slammed the beer bottle on the table, her eyes began to sting as her tears filled up her eyes fell down her cheeks. She heard footsteps behind her. Sharon placed her hand on her daughters back as she came around to face her.

She wiped her tears off Stef's cheeks "My love, don't cry"

"Mom...I am at my wits end, I mean I seriously don't think my heart can take it anymore" she said with a weak laugh. Sharon tilted her head "That song came on at the wrong time"

"It certainly did" Stef muttered as she rubbed her hand against the table "I mean it's true though. I am losing her"

"You've not lost her though honey, she'll come back to you"

Stef shook her head and shrugged "Will she mom? Ivy isn't the same. She was getting better but she's gone back downhill ever since she lost the baby...it just destroyed her"

Sharon bit her lip and then tried not to cry herself. She placed her hand on top of Stef's. Stef gulped heavily and chocked out "That baby was all she had left of him" she then shook her head "She wanted that baby more than she has ever wanted anything"

Sharon wiped her own tears and looked down to the floor. They both just stood their in silence.

As Ivy lay on her bed and screamed a heart wrenching cry into her pillow.

* * *

 **So it's out! Ivy was pregnant :( I wonder if any of you guessed that it was the secret...**

 **Who do you think will help Ivy get back to happiness?**

 **Please leave reviews below!**


	4. First Meeting

_Ivy walked out of the bathroom after feeling sick, again. Something wasn't right. She knew something wasn't right. And she had a feeling on what it could be.  
_ _It's been a month since Nate passed. And it was certainly possible that she would be pregnant, half of her was wishing she wasn't...but the other half was praying she was. Then she'd always have a piece of him with her, no matter what. She drove to the pharmacy as soon as she got dressed that morning. Rushing back home and went into the bathroom and took the test._

 _"Is she okay?" Lena asked Stef, motioning her head to the room "She's been in her room for a while"_

 _Stef sighed "I do hope she's not going down some sort of downwards spiral...she's been doing so well"_

 _"Go check on her" Lena gave her wife a small nudge. Stef looked at her and hesitated. But she was right, it would be best to go and see if she was okay. Ivy always did appreciate it when people checked up on her. Stef walked over to her room, knocking on the door she waited "Yeah" Ivy weakly approved on the other side of the door. Stef slowly opened the door and found Ivy at her desk, on her chair, Swiftly and slowly moving it side to side._

 _"Hey, you've been here for a while...you okay, Bear?"_

 _Ivy rubbed her lips together and slowly nodded "Yeah...yeah it's just..."_

 _Stef tilted her head and slowly walked forward "It's just?"_

 _Ivy sighed, with the test clutched in her hand, she handed it over and said in a whisper "I'm pregnant" Stef's eyes widened. She quickly took the test out of Ivy's hands and held it her own, she saw for herself._ There _it was. The big blue cross. Stef took a deep breath and kept herself calm "Y'know, when I thought I was pregnant with Brandon I took a bunch of tests just to make-"_

 _Stef's sentence came to a stop as Ivy pulled out of her paper bin the three other pregnancy tests. Ivy crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows to her "You were saying"_

 _Stef dropped her arms and let out a sigh, she rubbed her lips together and placed the test she was holding in the bin with the rest of them. She got onto her knees in front of Ivy, placing her hands on Ivy's knees and looked at her in the eyes "Are you gonna keep-"_

 _"Yes" Ivy muttered quietly. A small smile formed on her face, she repeated in a whisper "Yes"_

 _Stef smiled and rubbed her knees "You know this is a big step? Are you sure you're ready for it?"  
_

 _"No...but I will be...I can't get rid of this baby mom, our baby. The baby will be half his...how could I get rid of that?"_

 _"I'm not suggesting you do, we'll be here to support you no matter what" Stef smiled. They both stood up and held each other in a tight embrace "I suppose congratulations are in order" Stef said with a laugh. Ivy chuckled and raised her eyebrows "Yeah well, I guess there's always that"_

* * *

Ivy opened her eyes from sitting on her bed. The school was still closed from the gas leak from yesterday. And with the kids doing their own thing, Lena took Mariana and Callie out shopping. She invited Ivy but she politely passed. The boys were off hanging with their friends. Ivy was alone. But instead of staying in her room and getting high, Ivy decided to do something more...productive. She put on her running gear and did exactly that. Went for a run on the beach.

She put in her earphones and went for a jog along the beach. Jogging did her good, she liked it. It makes her feel free, feel in control she knows where she is going went she runs. She is in control of her own past, something that fate messes with her a lot. Always leading her to something else. But not this time, Ivy made her own fate when she ran.

After an hour of non stop jogging. Ivy pulled herself over to the burger shack near the beach, where she used to take Mariana and Jesus. It was considered as their place. Ivy walked over to the bar and bought herself a bottle of water. She sat at the bottom of the pier, looking out at the sea as her feet buried underneath the sand.

"Hey"

Ivy looked at the face to match the unfamiliar face, still they didn't become anymore familiar. Ivy raised an eyebrow "Hello?"

Caleb lightly pointed to her "Ivy, right?"

"Erm...yes? And who you know that how?"

"Oh shit sorry, I'm Caleb, I work with your mom at the police station, we briefly exchanged awkward eye contact the other day"

Ivy nodded "Right. Sure. Sorry about that"

Caleb shrugged "You seemed to have had a lot on your mind...your mom then did shortly after you left"

Ivy scoffed and tilted her head "Excuse me?"

Once again Caleb shrugged "From an outsiders point of view, you were a little hard on her. Stef's just trying to look out for you-"

"When I want an _outsiders_ opinion, I'll ask"

Caleb laughed lightly, she's got fire. He'll give her that, he rubbed his palms together and let out a sigh "Look, Ivy, I apologize if I after stepped a line...I was just trying to help, I consider Stef a friend"

Ivy rolled her eyes and stood up, she faced him, looking at him up and down. Looks like he had been for a run himself "Well, Caleb. It was almost nice meeting you, without the attempt of a lecture, I have to run. I've got a mother to make _unhappy"_

Caleb nodded and motioned his hand to her "That's not what I was saying, do you always take things out of context?"

"Do you always approach people you have no clue about and pretend you know what they're about?"

Caleb bowed his head down with a small smile, he looked out to the sea and then back to Ivy, he shrugged and nodded "Okay whatever, sorry again, I hope to exchange eye contact with you again" he smirked. That would normally do the trick on girls. But no on Ivy. She raised her eyebrows and laughed as she mumbled "At least you do"

With those words, she then jogged off. Caleb put his hands on his hips and watched her, letting out a small laugh he shook his head "Jesus christ"he muttered under his breath as then went his way.

* * *

 **Hey! Sorry it's short, this is just a filler to show you part of Ivy's past and her first meeting with Caleb, which clearly didn't go very well!**

 **Next chapter, Sharon and Stef and Lena sit Ivy down and try to get through to her by back tracking to the moment Ivy lost her baby.**

 **Please leave reviews.**


	5. Therapy Session

After her shower from getting home from her run. Ivy tried her hair, slipped into her slouchy clothes and walked into the house. She went into the living room in hope to be able to squeeze in a couple of episodes of _Party of Five_ in peace. Obviously that wasn't going to happen with the three women in her life all sat on the couch together, clearly waiting for her to come in the room, knowing she would. Ivy stared at them all and looked at their facial expressions, she knew this was what Stef and Lena called Sharon over for. Ivy dropped her hand from her head and rolled her eyes.

"Oh forget it, I'll watch it in bed" Ivy turned and went to walk away

"Ivy" Stef said in a stern voice. Bringing Ivy to a halt. Ivy rubbed her lips together and breathed heavily through her nose, Ivy slowly turned around and looked at Stef. Stef raised her eyebrows and motioned to the chair "Sit. Down" Ivy's eyes flew to Lena and Sharon. Both lightly nodding along with Stef. Well, she may as well get it over with. All she planned on doing was sitting there and staying silent. Eventually they'd have to let her go. Ivy threw herself down on the chair and looked at them with a dull expression.

It fell silent for a moment. Sharon looked at them all before looking back to Ivy "Sweetheart, we're worried about you"

"Do you guys ever sing a different song" Ivy grumbled as she laid her head in her hands.

"Ivy, watch the tone, Grams is here to help"

"I know! I know Grams is here to help, because why else would she be here" Ivy then looked to Sharon "No offence, grams"

Sharon shrugged and rubbed the palm of her hands together. Ivy had a point. Sharon usually only comes when it's a special occasion. Not at random times such as these. "But, regardless of why I am here. I am always here because I love you"

Ivy bowed her head down and muttered "I know" she felt a hand rest on her knee, she looked up to Stef's soft expression "We just want you to talk to us"

Ivy stared at her, right in the eyes. She gulped heavily, raised her eyebrows and said in a dry voice "You want to talk?" Ivy then shrugged "What specifically do you want to talk about then?"

"We've talked about Nate...but...we never talked about losing the baby"

Ivy's breath hitched, she sat back in her chair and looked away from them for a moment "The baby" she whispered.

* * *

 _Ivy's due date was getting closer by the second. Time was flying so fast she barely even had the chance to take it all in. She was merely a few months away, which no doubt will soon be tomorrow as soon as she knew it. Her bump wasn't that big, which at first she found worrying but the doctor told her that it was normal, some were big and some were small._

 _Ivy often visited Nate's grave, to talk to him. Tell him about what the doctor said about the baby, how she was feeling. Above all telling how much she missed him, telling how much she wished he was here with her so that they could be a real family. Ivy found out the sex of what the baby would be. She was having a boy. A boy whom she was going to name after his dad. It seemed right to do that.  
One afternoon, after Ivy came home from visiting Nate's grave._

 _"Hi, love" Stef smiled as Ivy walked to the living room. Ivy pulled a bright smile "Hi mom" she leaned down and gave Stef a kiss._

 _"You going to come and sit with me? We can have a marathon of friends"_

 _Ivy smirked and nodded. Her stomach started to hurt a little, the doctor mentioned she could get some stomach cramps now and then. Ivy rubbed her tummy and pointed to upstairs "I'd love that, I'm just gonna go to the bathroom, okay?"_

 _"Okay, bear"_

 _Stef remained downstairs, she went into the kitchen and put the coffee machine on for them both. Sunday's can really be a drag sometimes, with everyone out of the house, she was glad to have someone to finally have a conversation with. Stef stood by the machine, tapping her fingers and humming some made up tune she just came up with in her head._

 _All of a sudden she heard a horrendous crying scream come up from upstairs. Stef's head snapped up and then practically sprinted up the stairs. She heard the loud crying coming from the bathroom, Stef ran over and banged on the door over and over again "Ivy?! Ivy! Baby what's going on, open the door!"_

 _Still in tears, Ivy opened the door. Stef looked down to see the blood on her hands. She was bleeding, really heavily. Ivy's hands were shaking like crazy "Mommy" she whispered "What's happening?"_

 _Stef gulped heavily and tried to stay calm for the sake of Ivy._

 _"We'll get you cleaned up and get you to the hospital"_

 _"Mom...have i-"_

 _"I don't know" Stef whispered in a shaken voice "Let's just get you to the hospital, yeah?"_

 _"Can you call mama please?" Ivy cried as they washed her hands under the sink, Stef nodded and took her phone out and called Lena as Ivy cleaned up._

 _"Lena"_

 _"Hi honey...you okay you sound drained" Lena said with a small laugh. Stef sighed and glanced to Ivy "It's the baby"_

 _"What? What about the baby what's-"_

 _"I think she's lost it" Stef cried in a whisper "She's bleeding pretty heavily and I-could you just meet us at the hospital?"_

 _"Yeah, I'll leave the store right now"_

 _"Okay" Stef said in another whisper then hanging up. She turned around to Ivy, who was still crying "Okay, we'll get you in some clean clothes, has the bleeding stopped?"_

 _Ivy weakly nodded "Yeah, I think...but" she then let out another yelp, she shook her head as she held her stomach "I'm still getting really bad pains" she sobbed._

 _Stef drove Ivy to the hospital, Lena arrived shortly afterwards and went into the doctors room with them. Stef was right, Ivy had lost the baby. Just as she feared. She heard what the doctor was saying but she wasn't sure if she was really listening. All she knew is that the baby was dead. What made it worse was that her extra pains were her way of going into labor. Ivy had to give birth to her baby, as a still born. She was petrified. Of seeing it...better yet seeing him. So small. Stef and Lena hated that she had to go through this. How much more is she going to be pushed? How much more can she take?_

 _She didn't have to wait hours like a usual birth would take, the birth was rather quick. After she gave birth to him, she cried hard. The doctor offered for her to hold him. At first she hesitated. But she did. She held him in her arms. She's seen in dozen of movies that when the girl gives birth to her baby, the baby grips it's full hand around her one finger. Ivy pictured that moment happen to her so many times, she was excited for that moment. And now...well...she'll never have it. Not with this baby and maybe not with any baby._

 _Ivy slipped her finger in the baby's hand, wanting to feel that moment. No matter how painful it was, she just needed to feel something. Pain. Pain. Pain. That's all she felt._

* * *

Ivy let out a dry laugh as her tears ran down her cheeks "Why are you making me do this?" Ivy muttered as she took her eyes back to them. Tears ran down her cheeks at a fast pace. She licked her bottom lip and said in a watery cry "Can you not see what this is doing to me? What-are you enjoying this?"

"Of course we aren't enjoying this, sweetheart" Sharon shook her head.

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because we need to talk about it" Lena answered in a soft tone.

Ivy leaned forward, her voice became more strained due to stress "But _why_?"

Stef sighed "Because you've never talked about it"

"Because it kills me!" she cried

It feel silent. Ivy looked at them all, her eyes filled up. She looked down at her clutched hands "I gave birth to my baby, my _still born_ baby. I held him in my arms" she paused as she held her hands out to symbol how she held him "I know you've lost your baby...but can you imagine how much it hurt to hold him? Dead in my arms?"

Stef and Lena looked to each other, then back at Ivy. Stef rubbed her lips together and shook her head "You're right. In a way we were _lucky_ to not have to go through that, but we still know about the loss of a child, we also know about comfort"

"Hang on" Ivy let out a dry laugh "It's totally different"

Lena shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair at the side "Ivy, you are alone because you chose to be, your mom and I comforted each other when-"

"And _that_ is why it's different. Mom comforts you in a different way to how Grandma Dana comforts you or how Grams comforts you is different to how mama did...don't you get it? I know I have your support and comfort, but all I want and all I need is to be comforted by Nate. He's the person I wish for to...to hold me in bed, to give me reassurance that this baby wouldn't be the last and we could try again. But I'll never have that. I'll never have that comfort, because I can never imagine myself having that with anyone but him"

"We get it" Stef nodded.

"Stop saying you get it! You don't get it! I lost the guy I love and my baby within the space of a year! I was dealing with grieving Nate, I was handling it...I was still grieving him when I lost the baby, imagine that for a moment. Imagine having to mourn your boyfriend and baby"

Sharon held her hands up "You're right, Ivy, you're right. We cannot imagine that pain"

Ivy bit her lip as he tears ran down her cheeks, she nodded and looked away from them "Are we done here?"

Stef lightly shook her head, she whispered with a cry "Ivy...Ivy we do understand about not having the comfort from Nate but you won't even let us comfort you, you shut it all out, you shut us out, quite frankly we don't even know who you are anymore, with the drinking and the marijuana, spending hours out, never knowing when you're going to be home and then there's work...we aren't saying all this to have a pop at you, we just want you to realize"

"Believe me I've realized" Ivy snarled "I'm aware of what I do, it's my way of coping with it all"

"Well, it's the wrong coping method" Sharon added on, giving a light nod. Sharon looked at Stef who seemed so beat. Sharon looked back to Ivy "All your mom wants to do is to hold you, tell you everything is going to be okay"

Ivy looked back to Stef "Is that what you want?" she then looked to Lena "Is it?"

The two women both nodded. Ivy then nodded, she clapped her hands together and stood up "Well, you know what. You have two other daughters to hold and tell them everything is going to be okay because at least with them you know it will be, cause at least with them you know they'll turn out alright"

Stef's eyes widened "What are you saying? That you won't be?"

"I'm saying you can't fix me. Whatever happens to me is on my hands" Ivy grabbed her jacket from the coat rack "Don't wait up"

"Ivy don't-" Stef's sentence was cut off by the slam of the front door, they saw Ivy walk down the path and got in her car. Stef placed her hands on her hips and let out a deep breath, she didn't look at Lena or Sharon, she didn't say anything. She just walked away and went upstairs.

When she did, she closed the bedroom door behind her and pressed her back against it as tears streamed down her cheeks.

 _"One of the biggest regret in my life was not going to find you, and I would have if I had any clue where you were, so for that I am sorry, I am sorry because I don't want you to ever feel alone in this world because you are not, you mean the world to me and I love you so much"_

 _"I love you too"_

Stef covered her mouth with the palm of her hand as she tried to control her sobbing.

* * *

Ivy stayed out for hours, she grabbed a bite to eat of the burger shack and then went out to the bars as usual. She went to her regular place where the guy she buys her weed from was and bought herself her regular _batch_ she went inside, got drunk _again_ and then when she felt like she had had enough to drink, now she wanted to have a smoke. She feel like she needed it after that conversation she just had. She stood down the ally way at the side of the bar and lit up. She was fine by herself. Forgetting everything and everyone for that matter. Trying to forget everything that had happened tonight and even the past year.

Ivy was by herself, looking down at the floor she heard foot steps coming towards her, she didn't look up. She then saw the black boots in front of her. Ivy blew her smoke as she looked up. Caleb wafted the smoke out of his face. He scanned Ivy up and down and laughed "Well, what's a nice girl like you doing in a dump like this"

"Jesus" Ivy muttered under her breath.

"Alright. What's a _girl_ like you doing in a dump like this"

"What is your deal? Twice I've ran into you today and both times you interrogate me"

Caleb laughed again and then shook his head, he slid his hands in his pockets and raised his eyebrows at her "Sorry. Guess I have my cop brain on even off duty"

"Clearly"

"Your mom know you're out?"

Ivy scoffed "Yes, officer, she's even going to read me a bed time story when I get home" she inhaled her joint and looked back to him with a cold look. She didn't understand why he was laughing, why was he laughing at everything she said?  
Caleb's laugh died down, he rubbed his lips together and looked at her with his big blue eyes, he knew she was both high and drunk. He also knew for a fact that Stef would be at home right now, worried sick. She's told him how she stays up at night waiting for Ivy to come back. Looking down at the time, it wasn't too late bit still, her being drunk and high she could end up anywhere.

"Come on, Miss Foster, let's get you home" Caleb nodded over to the street. Ivy shook her head "I'm not going anywhere with you, Mr?"

"Helsom"

Ivy nodded "Well Mr Helsom I don't know if it has been made clear to you and usually I keep this to myself but I don't like you very much"

Caleb lightly laughed and slid his fingers through his hair, he dropped his hand back down and nodded as he looked to her "The feeling is beginning to become very much mutual. Apart from being an officer, and the fact I could technically get you in trouble for smoking _that_...I'm also your mother's friend and as her friend I want to make sure her daughter gets home safe"

"I can make my own way home" Ivy stated as she pulled her keys out of her pocket. She held them in front of him. Caleb looked at them and then snatched her out of his hand "Hey!"

"You're no where near sober, you will not drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs"

"God do you always talk like this?"

Caleb ignored her question, he took her joint and stood on it on the floor. He looked to her and raised his eyebrows again "You gonna come willingly or am I gonna have to pick you up?"

"You wouldn't"

"Oh but I would"

Ivy didn't want to risk it. She didn't really know this guy, he could easily do it with those strong arms of his. Ivy sighed as she slid her hands in her pockets, she rolled her eyes and nodded "Fine"

The car ride between them was silent at first, Caleb glanced to her and then took his eyes back on the road "Look, Ivy, I know I don't know you and you've made it clear you already don't like me...I was just trying to help, it's not just because you're my friends daughter it's also because with someone dealing with what you've dealt with then, y'know I'd want to help anyone in that situation"

Ivy fixed her eyes onto him, looking at him with her eyebrows pinched together "What're talking about?"

Caleb looked to her and shrugged "You know...the thing that happened with your boyfriend, I'm sorry you had to go through that-"

"I'm sorry I'm confused. How did you know that was me? In all the newspapers and all the news reports on the TV my name was left out like I asked, I didn't want anyone to know"

Caleb gulped heavily and remained quiet. He then heard Ivy let out a dry laugh "Wow, did she just tell you or did she tell the whole set of new officers"

"What? No, no Stef didn't-"

"Yeah, right. I'm sure she didn't" Ivy shook her head.

"Seriously-"

"Seriously just keep your eyes on the road. And drop this topic. You don't get to talk about my boyfriend like you knew anything about him or me or us"  
Caleb sighed and leaned his head on the head rest of the seat and muttered "Alright, Ivy. I'll just shut up"

"Good. Glad we actually agree on something"

* * *

Caleb walked Ivy to the front door, even though she walked ahead of him at a fast pace and insisted that he just left. But he wanted to talk to Stef, ensure her that nothing happened to Ivy. Ivy banged on the door, very loudly. The whole house probably woke up from it. Stef opened the door, she had stayed up just like she did every night Ivy went out. Lena stood in the background as she stayed up with her to keep her company and to keep her calm.

"Ivy. Thank-"

"You told him!?"

Stef looked at her confused, she then noticed Caleb behind her "Caleb?"

"You told him that I was Nate's girlfriend!"

"What? I did nothing of the sort!"

Ivy laughed bitterly as her eyes filled up with _angry_ tears "Don't lie to me, you probably sent hi out after me too"

"Whoa, Ivy, Stef didn't I was just passing by" Caleb reassured behind her, Ivy didn't even look at him she kept her eyes on Stef and muttered "How convenient" She barged past her, said nothing to Lena and went out to her room. Stef turned her head back to Caleb from following Ivy with her eyes.

Caleb sighed and scratched the back of his head "I had no idea that she was kept a secret, Mike told me and I-I dunno I was just trying to-"

"I know Caleb, it's fine you didn't know" Stef nodded, trying to give him a smile, but she still seemed so upset about it all.

"She'd been drinking and smoking marijuana, she wanted to drive-"

"She wanted to drive?!" Stef said with a small shriek in her tone, she looked to Lena who was now beside her and whispered "God does she really want to kill herself?"

Caleb's jaw slightly dropped, he didn't know what to say, he scratched his beard and said in a weak and uncomfortable tone "I'm going to get off now, I hope everything'll be okay"

Stef nodded "Yeah, thank you for taking care of her Caleb"

"Yes thank you" Lena added with a small smile. She had never met Caleb before but Stef had said a lot of good things about him. Caleb smiled softly and nodded to them both "Goodnight ladies"

They watched him step down the stairs and walk down the path. Stef looked to Lena and slowly shut the door.

Not having a clue on if Ivy really did mean to hurt herself tonight. If their attempt to have a _therapy_ session really did make her feel so empty inside. She truly has lost everything, including herself.

* * *

 **Poor Stef! She's really trying!**

 **What do you guys think of Ivy's new persona? Do you think she'll ever get back to normal?**

 **Do you guys like Caleb?**

 **Please leave reviews below.**


	6. Not-So-Happy Birthday

Back to school for everyone, Ivy included. Ivy especially. If she didn't get her act together regarding work, then Monte would have _no choice_ but to fire her. Lena could only defend her so much before she had to step back from being the doting mother and eventually having the step up and take her role as the vice principal more seriously on Ivy.

It had been two days since Ivy ran out on Stef, Lena and Sharon. Since then, Sharon decided she would leave tonight. She would have left tomorrow but, with it being Ivy's birthday, she decided to stay and see her when she got home before leaving. Ivy didn't care, she didn't want to celebrate this day. It was the day she and Nate had gotten back together, it was then beginning of the end for her. She'd _much_ rather just sit alone, in bed with a bottle of Jamaican rum to drown her sorrows in. But unfortunately, she was trying to steer away from alcohol for a little while. Not because Stef or Lena told her to. But because she wanted to stop herself before she got far too deep into it all.

Ivy walked over to the chalkboard, she wrote the genre of her classes next assignment.

"Next genre for your new assignment is going to be an action, you can add another genre within it if you wish but action is the main one to include" she then heard Jesus's whispering and laughing the corner with his friend. Leaning against her desk she looked at him.

"Jesus!" she snapped, making him jump her looked at her. He gave her a soft smile and held his hands up with a giggle still in his voice "Sorry"

"Stay behind after class" Ivy demanded as she began to walk around to the back of her desk.

Jesus's face dropped, he looked at the clock and scoffed "Ivy are you kidding-"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" She said sharply and she laid her hands on her desk, staring at him right in the eyes. He stayed silent for a moment. Ivy stood back up straight and rubbed her lips together, she sat back down and didn't look at him again.

Twenty minutes later the class had ended and Ivy watched her students walk out. Finally seeing in her vision, Jesus sat on the middle front table, with his arms crossed. Looking rather annoyed. Ivy stood up and once again leaned against her desk. She looked at him and then said dryly "I don't know why you are acting like I've crapped in your shoes or something when you're the one who was talking whilst I was trying to teach"

"Teach" Jesus scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean, Jesus?"

"You only teach when it suits you Ivy, just because you felt like doing it today does not mean that you get to act like what I did was a crime"

"You were talking-"

"Yeah okay I was talking, so was Todd. Takes two to have a conversation. And what ever happened to a warning?"

Ivy sighed and looked out at the window, she slammed her hand on the desk and went admit to him what she didn't want to admit "I guess..." she sighed again and looked back at him, she wanted to tell him that the reason she did what she did was to just talk to him, whether it was shouting or not. She had hardly spoken to him in a while, she just wanted. She just _needed_ to speak to him. And she didn't understand what made it so damn hard as to tell him that.

"Nothing...just go, we'll forget this happened" Ivy walked away and over to looking out the window. Jesus stared at her. He missed her, how she used to be that is. How she used to throw her arm around him after this class and say _'let's grab some grub'_ and she would either take him and the rest of them to their traditional burger shack or just sit outside together laughing and joking about god knows what.

The memories were completely faded, like if he had a picture of them all, the edges would be worn down, it would no longer have it's original color. It would feel more painful to look at it than to feel happy, to want to turn around to her and laugh and say _'Hey remember when that happened'_ and she laugh and they'd talk about that day. They would be the brother and sister they once were. But that wasn't going to happen, not now and maybe not ever again.

Jesus picked up his bag and looked at her "Happy birthday" he muttered before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him. Ivy shut her eyes and latched onto the necklace she was wearing that had Nate's ring on it's chain.

 _"I'd never break you, but you can do the same to me and you know that"_

 _"I don't want to get hurt again" she shook her head_

 _"I promise you won't-"_

 _"You can't promise me that"_

 _"Yes I can"_

 _"You can't, you can't know what's going to happen, no-one can"_

 _Nate sighed and stared at her, he said to her boldly "You're right I can't promise that...but I can promise I will try my best to prevent you from getting hurt"_

Ivy wiped the innocent tear that ran down her cheek, she sniffed up and wiped her face as she walked back to the desk and sat back down.

"Happy birthday" she muttered to herself "You miserable bitch"

* * *

Ivy walked into Lena's office shortly after, she didn't know why she even walked in. She hadn't walked in there in a while. Lena was surprised to see her but didn't let it show, she just acted like it was last year and treated it like it was just normal.

"Hey buba"

"Hi" she muttered, dropping herself down onto the sofa.

"How's it feel working on your birthday"

Ivy just shot a glance at her. Lena got the message and nodded "Right. We aren't mentioning that are we"

"No" Ivy muttered, shaking her head and looking down to the palm of her hands rubbing together.

"You wanna talk?"

"About what?"

Lena shrugged and then sat on the chair facing her "I don't know, about anything...you came in here"

"I don't know why I did, to be honest"

"I'm glad you did"

Ivy stared into Lena's eyes and felt like crying. She wanted to open up so much, to bring all of her walls down but she just couldn't. She wasn't strong enough. Too scared? Too _weak_? Maybe even a little bit both. Ivy cleared her throat and shrugged "I don't want to talk about anything"

"You just want to sit here?"

Ivy nodded and sat back in the couch "Just, carry on with whatever you were doing"

Lena looked at her for a moment, she stood back up and over to her desk. It fell silent. Lena looked back down at her files she was going through. She carried on with her work when she then heard Ivy mumble "I didn't want to be alone" Lena lifted her head and looked to Ivy, who was slouched up the couch, knees up to her chest, the necklace now in her hands as she stared at it.

"I don't want to talk. I don't want to hug and cry about it...I just...I just didn't want to be alone today that's all"

Lena felt a tear run down her cheek, Ivy didn't notice as she was still looking down to the necklace. Lena quietly took in a deep breath and nodded as she said with a watery voice "I understand"

Ivy then looked up to Lena. She said nothing, she didn't smile or anything, she just looked into her eyes again and then gave her a nod as she looked back down to her hands.

* * *

 _"What was the best day of your life?" Ivy asked as she looked at her and Nate's linked hands as they lay in the back of Milo's truck that they had borrowed on the beach when the sun was about to set. They drove on, put pillows and a duvet in the back and lay there._

 _"That would be...your birthday"_

 _Ivy let out a laugh "Why? Oh wait is it because the love of your life was born on that day" she mocked._

 _Nate laughed and then came to a quick stop and joked in a serious tone "Milo's birthday isn't the second of October"_

 _Ivy laughed and rolled on top of him, kissing him lightly, running her hands through his hair. They rubbed their noses together before Nate put his head back to look at her "No its my favorite because...it's the night you took me back"_

 _"I would have 'taken you back' long before that if you hadn't of avoided me so much"_

 _They both laughed pressing their foreheads together, Nate ran his hands down her arms "I gave my reasons for that"_

 _"I know I'm just teasing" she whispered as she pressed his lips back onto his, Nate put his hands on the bottom of his back and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her body even closer onto his._

 _"It's the dance week then huh"_

 _"Mm-hm"_

 _"Will you be my date then?"_

 _"I'll think about it" Ivy whispered with a smirk on her face._

* * *

When school ended. Ivy drive home but didn't stick around that long. She decided to go to the gym. There was nothing planned for today. It didn't feel like it was her birthday, which is just how she wanted to feel today. She packed a gym bag and went into the kitchen to walk through to the front.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?"

Ivy stopped and turned at her grandmother sat in the living room, suitcases beside her "I'll be gone by the time you get back"

Ivy sighed, she ran her tongue across her top lip and scratched her forehead, with her car keys in her hand "Man, I'm sorry grams I-"

"You've got a lot on your mind" Sharon stood up and walked over to her, she spoke sweetly but also in a manner that was in an attempt to make some kind of point "Yeah...that's your excuse a lot lately"

"I'm sorry. I really am I'm just" Ivy's words got jammed in her throat. She held up her hand in a fist through the frustration of not knowing what to say at all, she shut her eyes for a brief moment with her tongue in between her lips. She dropped her hand, opened her eyes and then carried on "I'm just trying to figure out stuff by myself"

"And you won't listen to the fact that we can help?"

"I don't want help from others, I want to help myself, I want to deal with things myself that's how I've always been"

"I know...your mom was exactly the same" she admitted and then pointed at her "Don't tell her I said that else she'll fly over to me just to yell in person"

Ivy let out a puff of air through her nose that could be interpreted to have been a small laugh. But Sharon couldn't tell for sure if Ivy actually found what she said humorous, which she used to always do. Sharon rubbed Ivy's back as she looked at her "You do what you've got to do, Ivy, but just know..." Sharon and Ivy's eyes locked to each other as Sharon moved the stands of hair that fell on Ivy's face away as she said "You'll _always_ be my _happy_ beautiful granddaughter, one that could light up a room with your smile"

Usually something like that would make her smile altogether. But it didn't anymore. Ivy pursed her lips and gave a grateful nodded, she pulled Sharon in and embraced her tightly. Sharon laid a firm kiss on her cheek "I love you, ya hear me?"

"I hear you. I love you too, Grams" Ivy pulled away, she tilted her head with a sympathetic look on her face and then said in a whisper "I'm sorry"

What she was apologizing for, Sharon couldn't really tell. Sorry for making her worry? Sorry for getting into trouble for the drinking and drugs? Sorry for simply not being the same Ivy she once was. What ever it was, it was enough to make a tear stream down Sharon's face, as she watched her eldest _troubled_ granddaughter leave the house.

* * *

Ivy had never been to this gym before. But Lottie had given her a card for it weeks ago, encouraging her to go to see if it would help her take her mind off things. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't spoken to Lottie or Milo for days now. She hoped they weren't mad at her. Then again, she wouldn't blame them if they were, not in the slightest.

 _Helsom & Son gym. Est 1936._

Well, it's been around for a while then. Ivy walked in and saw that this particular gym was a boxing gym. Of course Lottie thought this would take her mind off things. Ivy loved to box, she would do it four days a week when she was younger. Did it here and there in San Francisco and got back into it last year. Ivy rolled her eyes and dropped her gym bag that had her water and non gym clothes in it in one of the lockers. She walked over to the office to see an older man sat there. Mid fifties she'd say he was. Ivy knocked on the door frame as it was open.

"Excuse me"

The man looked up and gave out a bright smile. He looked familiar. Not that she had seen him in particular, but that he looked like someone, but who she just couldn't tell.

"Hey there darlin' you here to sign up?"

Ivy bit her lip and looked at the gym behind her "I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to signing up exactly...first time coming here, y'know"

The man nodded and stood up from his chair, he walked further towards her and stopped halfway in his room, sliding his hands in his tanned pants. Chewing on his gum and grunted and then spoke again in his rough voice "Tell ya what, consider this an offer of a trial. You can come here for a week and if you don't think this place is for you then no harm done" he said as he held his hands up as he finished his sentence.

Ivy stared at him for a moment and raised her eyebrows, speaking softly "Really?"

"Yeah. Hell I'll even shake on it" he held out his hand to her. Ivy stared at his hand, the him, then his hand again. Well, she had nothing to lose. She took his hand and shook it, looking back into his eyes, Ivy nodded her head at him "Okay"

"Alright, perfect, can I get your name? This brain of mine isn't what it used to be and just in case I'm not here when you're weeks up, one of my boys can sort it all out"

"Ivy Foster"

"Uh-huh, okay Miss Foster, pleasure doing business with ya, now get out there and go punch some bags" he joked dryly as he then looked down to writing on the notepad on his desk.

Ivy turned around and looked at the gym, it was quiet people wise. She appreciated the loud music though, it would get her pumped up. She liked it already. She was just hoping that doing this would possibly help get all of her anger out, taking it out on a punching bag was much more preferred than taking it out on her moms, Sharon and the kids.

Ivy got a pair of gloves out from the see through cabinet. Strapped herself up and began to take everything out on the punch bag in front of her. Thinking about everything that has hurt her.

Jason. Nate's death. Losing the baby. Pushing her family and friends away. Being alone. Not having the strength to be anything but alone. The drinking.

The arguments she has with Stef hurt her too. Such as the one she had yesterday morning about Ivy wanting to drive whilst she had been drinking and smoking weed. Stef once again suggesting that Ivy goes to therapy because she think that one day Ivy will end up hurting herself or worse killing herself. It just made Ivy flip even more, yelling things at her. She even almost said _"You're not my real mom"_

 _Almost._ Even though she knew in her heart it wasn't true. Stef was her mother. It was purely on the tip of her tongue because she wanted to use it as a way of saying Stef can't tell her what to do, which she can, she just gets knocked back every time she tries.

All the time she was punching the punch bag, getting her anger out. She was missing a phone call, the phone that was in her gym bag. The gym bag that was in the locker. She missed **_MOM CALLING_** four times. Not knowing that the rest of the family were at home, with Ivy's favorite meal along with her favorite dessert waiting for her at home. They wanted to do a little something for her birthday...and they didn't even get to do that with her.

* * *

 **Ivy seems to finally be wanting to put a stop to her misery but can she do it alone?**

 **I wonder if any of you guys have noticed something about the gym ;)**

 **Please leave reviews below!**


	7. Family Feud

The next day, on her lunch break. Ivy was driving down the street of the police station. Heading back at the house to pick up a sweater, it was suddenly chilly today and she didn't much like the cold. Or the heat. Or anything for that matter. As she drove down that street, she saw Milo walking into the station. From the looks of it he went out to get his lunch.

"Milo!"

Milo looked up and saw her wave at him in her car. Milo didn't wave or smile for that matter, he just scoffed and walked inside. Ivy's eyebrows pinched together with confusion. Ivy pulled the car up on the side. Got out and followed him inside.

"Mile" Ivy said to him, he carried on walking to his desk. Ivy picked up her pace and slapped his elbow to make him look at her "Hey hey, Mile"

Milo turned around and looked at her with a cold look, he raised his eyebrows "What?"

Ivy shrugged "What's up with you?"

Milo looked down at his files and muttered "How was your birthday?"

"Didn't celebrate"

"No?" he said looking up and shrugged "Didn't get _blazed_ from that weed you took from the apartment?" Ivy shut her eyes for a brief moment and rubbed her lips together, her eyes then opened slowly as he carried on "Y'know. It feels really shit knowing that the only reason your best friend ever comes and visits you anymore is to get something"

"That wasn't"

"No? So why would you come round to the apartment to apologize when you could just text or call like you did all the other times?" Milo's question brought complete and utter silence towards Ivy. Because deep down she knew that Milo was right. She would have just called or text one of them, but knowing that the bag could still be there in their apartment, she went out of her way to go and check. Clearly she wasn't as subtle as she thought. Milo sighed through his nose and shook his head at her "You aren't that girl we made friends with all those years ago. I miss her" he paused as he picked up his files.

He took a step forward, ready to walk past her altogether he muttered in a snap "Quite frankly Ivy. I'm losing all hope that you'll be that friend again"

As Milo walked away. Ivy heard the sound of a whistle to the side of her, she looked to the side and saw Caleb looking at her with his eyebrows raised. He pulled a face at her and sang in a grumble "That was awkward"

Ivy rolled her eyes and waved him away "Go and annoy someone else"

"Is this where our relationship is now?"

"Believe me we have no relationship" Ivy said with a sarcastic smile on her face. Caleb nodded with a smug look on his face he then shrugged.

"How was the big day? Turning twenty two what exciting stuff you must've gotten up to" he mocked as he crossed his arms. Ivy then did the same gesture and raised an eyebrow at him "She told you my birthday?"

"Well I asked her if she had anything fun planned last night like we always ask each other and she said that they were planning a surprise birthday meal for you"

Caleb watched as Ivy's face slowly dropped into a slightly guilty one. He assumed as much "Oh, you-"

"Let them down again...yeah I do that...in my defense I wasn't out drinking or anything, I was at this gym I just joined"

"Ah, doing some aqua aerobics or something" Caleb teased dryly. Ivy tilted her head and lightly snapped "Cute. But if you must know I started at a boxing gym"

Caleb scoffed a laugh. Not because she had taken up boxing but because there is only one main boxing gym in this community that was nearest. Caleb raised his eyebrows "Really? Which gym? I used to box"

Ivy ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to think "It's erm...Helsom and Sons are something like that" Caleb nodded "That's the one" he didn't tell her that it was that exact gym that was owned by his father. It'd be more with Ivy running into Caleb, thinking he was stalking her or something and then becoming rather embarrassed when she see's that it was his family business.

"Well Caleb this conversation has been delightful as usual but fortunately for me, I'm leaving"

"Fortunate for me too" Caleb said with a grin on his face.

Ivy rolled her eyes and began to walk out of the office "Have a nice day, sweet cheeks"

Caleb's reply from Ivy was a simple middle finger. Caleb chuckled and muttered to himself "She's warming up to me I can feel it"

* * *

 _Ivy got home from boxing. She went through the back, wiped her sweaty forehead as she put her gym bag on the floor and walked into the bathroom to have a shower. She got out and straight into her_ _pajamas. She then went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. It was only 9pm. But no one was around apart from Callie who was in the snug area of the kitchen, Ivy glanced to her and then looked at the machine._

 _"Nice to see you"_

 _"Huh?" Ivy raised her eyebrows as she took her eyes to Callie "What're you talking about?"_

 _Callie slowly stood up and motioned her hand to the stove of which Stef slaved over in order to make this meal.  
"We planned a birthday meal for you...homemade chili with strawberry cheesecake for dessert, your favorite" Ivy glanced to the stove, her eyes then graced along the table and then looked down at the floor, feeling so guilty already. _

_Ivy scratched her forehead and mumbled "Wow...Cal I-I didn't know"_

 _"So which bar were you at this time"_

 _"What? No no I wasn't out getting drunk"_

 _"Or high?" Callie said as she crossed her arms. Ivy was foolish if she thought that she could keep the fact she smokes marijuana from the kids. Callie rolled her eyes and dropped her arms, going to walk away, Ivy quickly grabbed her arm. Not knowing what came over her, she just...she just didn't want or like seeing Callie walk away from her angry "Callie wait" she muttered weakly. Callie sighed and looked at her, her expression turned into a sympathetic one. She took hold of Ivy's hand._

 _"Ivy...just go to bed, moms aren't mad. They weren't even surprised and neither were we...so don't worry about it" Callie slid her hand out of Ivy's and carried on walking back upstairs._

 _Ivy shut her eyes, she ran her hands down the back of her head at the top all the way from to her neck and locked them there as she slid down the cabinet with her eyes still shut. She couldn't help but cry. Even though she knew that she had told them not to make a fuss, she should have guessed that they were going to try and do something in order to make her smile today. But she thought if she put that knowledge to the back of her mind then it would just go away. Stupid but effective on her behalf. But she had let them down again, and hearing Callie say that they were basically used to it by now made her feel sick._

 _But a part of her just couldn't help it, she couldn't help but push people away because admittedly she was scared of people getting hurt around her. She buried her face into her arms that rested on her knees and cried. She hadn't cried like this for a while and she didn't know why this had gotten her so upset, perhaps it was just everything building up that she finally let out. Everything came flashing through her brain like a montage, seeing Jason's face throughout it all._

 _She suddenly felt two hands rest on her shoulders, she freaked and shook her head as she pushed them away "No!"_

 _"Ivy, Ivy" Brandon put his hand on her cheek and made her look at him "It's me, just me okay?" he whispered._

 _"Brandon" she cried out in a whisper as she gripped onto his shirt, sobbing so hard that she almost found it hard to breathe, she bowed her head down and rested it on his arm. He wasn't quite sure what was going on here but all her knew was that she was getting herself worked up._

 _"Ivy just breathe, take deep breaths, calm down" Brandon pulled her close and lifted her up. He had to admit it to himself, after everything they used to say about each other, he never thought he'd be comforting her and carrying her to bed as she held onto him, still letting out cries that fell onto his shirt. Brandon carried her to her bedroom, laid her down in the bed and pulled the duvet over her, he set beside her on the bed and looked at her "Ivy...is this because of today?"_

 _Ivy just shrugged as her cries stopped._

 _"More than that?"_

 _Again she shrugged._

 _Brandon sighed and tilted his head "Want me to just let you sleep now?"_

 _Ivy softly nodded. Brandon let out a tight smile and nodded himself "Okay, as long as you're okay now"_

 _"I am"_

 _"Good. Goodnight Ivy"_

 _Ivy squeezed her hand without looking at him and muttered "Goodnight"_

* * *

Brandon told their moms briefly the next morning about how Ivy was upset the night before and they decided to not mention it to her or give her a hard time about it. It seemed she had already understood that she'd messed up. They shook it off. That's all they really could do after all.

Brandon was stood at his locker with Jesus and Callie as they waited for him since they all said they'd get lunch together since Mariana was off with Mat and Jude was off with Connor.

"Why aren't you having lunch with Emma today then?" Callie asked as she raised her eyebrows at Jesus.

"She's ill today"

"Ah...going off the subject have you spoken to Ivy?"

Brandon looked to her as she asked Jesus the question, he saw the disapproving look on Jesus's face as he shook his head "No and I don't plan to, she let us down again like she keeps on doing all the time"

"Cut her some slack, man" Brandon spoke up as he shut the locker door. Jesus raised his eyebrows and shrugged to him "What're you care?"

"Hey I care alright. Ivy is going through a bad time just back off"

"She's been going through this bad time of hers for a year now and now all she does is just yell and shout-"

"Jesus she lost the baby just a couple of months ago!" Brandon scoffed, not really believing that his brother was acting this was when he and Ivy were so close. They were _best friends_ even.

"Did mom act this way when she lost Frankie?" Jesus asked as his voice began to rise.

Callie sighed and stood forward "Come on guys lets just leave it-"

"But Ivy isn't mom! They're different people, besides mama had mom! Ivy didn't have Nate"

"But she had us"

Brandon rolled his eyes and lightly pushed his brother "It's not the same and you know it"

Jesus scowled at him and then pushed Brandon harder as he said "You used to always be at her throat when she was doing no wrong and now that she is you're kissing her ass! You hated her this time last year"

"Screw you man, I never hated her"

"Bullshit!" Jesus really lost his temper and threw Brandon against the locker. Callie gasped and jumped back "Jesus! Stop it!"

Brandon then pushed him back and put Jesus in a head lock. Callie stress-fully ran her fingers through her hair "Guys please just..." as people began to surround them, Callie looked down the hall and ran down it to Lena's office at the end. She burst into it "Callie I'm just-"

"Mom look" Callie stepped out of the way and shown the two boys fighting. Really going for each other this time. Lena jumped up as the words "My god" escape her lips, she ran round the desk and out of the office.

"Boys! Jesus, Brandon that's enough!" as soon she caught up to them and went to break her apart, she was soon welcomed by Ivy appearing and helping her break them up. Lena grabbed Brandon and pulled him back as Ivy took hold of Jesus and held him back. Jesus threw himself out of Ivy's hold and looked at her with a hard look, Ivy just stared at him. Taking heavy breaths he motioned his hand to Brandon and snarled "Why don't you focus on helping out your new bitch"

"Jesus" Lena snapped as she let go of Brandon. Jesus looked at his mother and then back at Ivy, he rolled his eyes and walked away.

"Jesus get back here" Lena called, she sighed and looked to Brandon, pointing to her office down the hall "Go in my office and wait for me there whilst I go get your brother" Brandon took a deep breath through his nose and nodded, giving a quick, gentle glance to Ivy he walked down the hall. Lena quickly went after Jesus. Ivy crossed her arms and turned to Callie "What was that about?"

Callie's eyes traveled from the office to Ivy and said dryly as she raised her eyebrows ever so slightly "You"

* * *

 **So it seems Ivy's new attitude is causing a rift between the family! Do you think Jesus was too harsh?**

 **Let me know what you think of this so far and what you hope to see in future chapters!**


	8. Progress

"They had a _fight_? Over _Ivy_?" Stef said as she sat on the bed, not really believing that she is linking that sentence with her two sons. Lena raised her arms slightly only to drop them as she nodded and shrugged "I know. I was just as surprised as you were, but get this" Lena sat down on the bed facing her wife and said in a more quiet tone.

"It was Brandon defending Jesus and _Jesus_ talking poorly about Ivy"

Stef looked at her with even more confusion "Okay...I know Brandon and Ivy are more friendly towards each other but what is Jesus doing?"

Lena shrugged and sighed "I think he's hurt. I think he's hurting that he's lost his best friend...I don't know"

"I just never thought he'd go against her" Stef lightly shook her head as she shrugged, Lena put her hands over Stef's as she muttered "Yeah me neither"

Stef lay back on the bed and asked as she looked up to the ceiling "And where was Ivy during all of this?"

"She came in as I went to break them up and helped me, she held Jesus but he practically threw her off of him and stormed off" Lena then let out another sigh and lay back on the bed beside her. Stef looked to Lena and muttered "The kids might be losing hope on her one by one...but we can't-or if we are we...we can't let it show"

Lena then looked at Stef and gave her a soft, half smile "I know, honey"

Lena laid a kiss on Stef's forehead as they then softly pressed their foreheads together.

* * *

Days past. Jesus had barely said two words to Ivy and she didn't press on him doing so. She let him be, she gave him space. It was better for everyone if she just kept her distance for now. Stef as usual tried to reach out but, she knew now that Ivy would most likely push her back. On Saturday night, as tempted as she was to go out and once again drown her sorrows. Ivy decided to focus her mind on something else. The gym was open till 11. With it being 8:58pm now, she could do with going there instead. It was like her own personal therapeutic session. She had gone everyday this week. The family barely even took notice since she was gone many times even before she started boxing that it was just the norm to them now.

However, this time she had to go into the house to grab her jacket that she left in there. As she did, she saw Stef and Lena in the living room with all the kids apart from Brandon who was staying at Mike's tonight, all gathered together watching _Star Wars: Empire Strike's Back_ as it was Jude's turn to pick a film. It was a good job they all liked them, even Mariana who pretended she wasn't a huge fan.

They all looked at her. Ivy slipped her jacket on which had her car keys in the pockets, she took them out and held them in her hands. With her gym back hanging on her shoulder, they all got the impression Ivy was't going out on one of her another booze filled nights.

"Where are you heading to?" Stef asked as she raised an eyebrow.

Ivy looked outside through the window and nodded "I'm going to the gym"

"The gym?"

"Yeah a boxing gym, thought it'd be good to...let off some steam"

A small smile crept on their faces. Even Jesus shown an expression of relief. Stef tilted her head and asked "Do you mean the boxing gym three blocks from here?"

Ivy replied with a simple nod. Stef knew that it was Caleb's family gym. She also knew for a fact that Ivy and Caleb didn't exactly get along. Caleb loved to tease her and Ivy loved to bite back at him, Stef has seen it on more than once occasion either when Ivy has come home rant and raving about running into him on the beach again when she goes for her runs or when she comes to police station to speak to Stef and he ends up winding her up there too. If Ivy knew this was Caleb's gym she wouldn't have signed up for it.

And just like Caleb, Stef didn't say anything. Not because she thought I'd be funny but because she didn't want Ivy quitting that gym just because she may or may not run into Caleb by his dad being the owner. This was good for her. Stef nodded to her and softly smiled "Okay, baby, don't be too late"

"I'l use the back way anyway, I won't wake you guys up" Ivy muttered as she walked out of the front door.

Jesus rolled his eyes as he drank his drink. Mariana picked up on it, she turned around as she was sat on the floor with her back against the couch and snapped "Will you just lay off, you're acting like Brandon was acting last year when _you_ were bitching about how much of an ass he was being"

"Okay, Mariana that's enough" Stef said softly as she placed her hand on her shoulder. Stef leaned forward and looked to Jesus at the end of the couch with Lena in between them "But she is right by what she is saying, Jesus, cut it out"

* * *

Ivy arrived at the gym. She loved a Saturday already. Less people. More people were out in clubs rather than in a boxing gym. Ivy walked over to the changing room, came out in her boxing gear, put her bag in a locker, she stood in front of the office, standing side wards as she wrapped the bandage around her knuckles and the rest of her hand.

"Fancy seeing you here"

Ivy looked into the office to see Caleb leaning against the door frame with the arms crossed. Ivy dropped her arms "What the hell are you doing here? Are you following me"

"No I just wanted to savor this moment"

"What moment?"

Caleb pointed to himself "Perhaps you were too _out_ of it to remember what I told you my last name was"

"What does that-oh..." she then scoffed as she remembered "Helsom"

"Isn't this just typical" Caleb said with a smug grin on his face. Ivy rolled her eyes "So what? You gonna kick me out"

"Would I do that to you?" Caleb mocked, pretending to be offended. Ivy just gave him an unimpressed expression. Caleb smirked as he licked his bottom lip and then shook his head to her "No, I'm not...on the contrary. Mind if I join you? Could do with getting off some steam"

Ivy shrugged "Do I have a choice"

"Not really, I do own half of this so" Caleb smiled smugly once again. Caleb pointed to his shirt as he began to bring it over his head "You don't mind do you, hate it when my shirts get all sweaty"

"It's not like I haven't seen a man's body before" Ivy raised her eyebrows at him, with a vision of Nate lying in her bed coming to her mind. Ivy shook it off and glanced to Caleb as his shirt was now completely off. Her eyes subtly graced the vision of his body, like everyone woman would. He was certainly beautifully crafted, his abs were perfectly worked at. He had a tattoo across his left peck, right below his collarbone. Another on his right ribs. One on the top of his arm on the left and one more on his bicep of his right arm. She took her eyes away from him before he noticed she was looking at him, yet he still teased "Alright, quit checking me out and let's do some punching. Come on _princess_ "

"Can you be my punching bag?" Ivy said with a sweet angelic smile.

Caleb tilted his head at her "You're _so_ cute when you're bitchy. Have you always been like this?"

Ivy's smile slowly slid away, she slightly raised her eyebrows and muttered "Not exactly"

Caleb stood in front of her punchbag and held it for her and she began to punch. Ivy admitted as she began to punch "Believe it or not but I used to a nice person"

"Wow"

Ivy rolled her eyes "I used to be a good person"

Caleb raised an eyebrow "You're still a good person, Ivy" she could tell he was speaking in a genuine manner. Ivy looked at him and shook her head "No, I'm not"

"Okay, so if you think you're not then why still be it?"

"Be what?" she lightly snapped

"Be the person you think you are, why don't you change"

Ivy scoffed a laugh "It's not that simple"

"Why not"

" _Because_...I've been through shit this past year" Ivy stated as she gave the bag one big blow. Caleb feeling it on his stomach from the other side. Caleb sighed and then shrugged, knowing that what he was about to say was going to come out wrong "Everyone goes through shit"

Ivy stopped for a moment and stared at him "What is that supposed to mean"

Caleb waved his hand at her and shook his head "I'm not trying to imply that what you went through wasn't terrible. Cause it was. Losing your boyfriend-"

"Fiance"

"... _Fiance_ , losing him the way you did was awful. It would mess anyone up-"

"Now you're saying I'm messed up?"

"Yes" Caleb shrugged "You are. And that's not always such an insulting thing, Ivy, are you denying that his death _hasn't_ messed you up?"

Ivy gulped heavily as she stared at him, she then shook her head "No...no I guess...it has"

"Right. And you're pushing your family away and what good is that doing? You say you're not a good person. So why don't you try and get back to being the good person you once were, get back to liking yourself"

Ivy tilted her head and let out a dry laugh "Why would I hate myself"

Caleb bit his bottom lip and shrugged "Because you blame yourself. I know how it feels. So take my advice and just speak to someone about it"

"I just did?"

Caleb smirked and shook his head "I mean someone a little more blonde and womanish"

Ivy sighed deeply and then rolled her eyes "Okay, Helsom. You've made your point"

"I always do" He said with a cocky smile. Ivy then rolled her eyes and got off the subject "You're so irritating"

* * *

She got home two hours later. Surprisingly she didn't walk around the back like she said she would. Instead she came through the house. It was just past 11pm. Stef and Lena were downstairs in the living room, the kids were upstairs in their rooms. Ivy rubbed her lips together as she looked at them. Lena let out a loud yawn and muttered to Stef

"I'm off to bed" She stood up, and that is when she saw Ivy stood in front of them.

"Ivy"

Stef looked up and saw Ivy stood in front of them. Ivy looked at them with a serious expression on her face, she gave a tight smile "Hi"

"Hi, honey" Lena walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek "Night"

"Goodnight" Ivy muttered as she ran her hand through her hair. Leaving Stef and Ivy alone. Ivy looked over to Stef and said nothing as she walked over and sat down on the couch beside her. It was still silent. Ivy looked down at her hands.

Stef looked straight ahead at the black screen TV when she heard Ivy mumbled softly "I was going to call him Nathan"

Stef then looked to Ivy, Ivy looked at Stef in the eyes very briefly "I never told you that"

She was slowly opening up. Stef didn't over react and jump in the air cheering like she felt like doing inside. Instead, Stef pulled her legs up on the couch, rested her arm on the back of the couch, resting her head on her hand.  
"Nathan?"

Ivy shrugged and nodded "Felt like it would have been nice, y'know? I planned on what I would say when he'd look up at me and asked where his dad was" Ivy's eyes soon filled up. She wiped them away as soon as they ran down her cheeks. Stef just let her talk.

Ivy licked her bottom lip and let out a deep shaky breath "And...and I _wanted_ to push you guys away for a reason that I had concluded in my head"

Stef raised her eyebrows and softly said "Which was?"

"I'm toxic...I became toxic to the point where Brandon almost died, Nate...Nate did die and then my baby died...if he hadn't of been stopped then he would have killed you...I pushed you guys away because I didn't want you to die. Even though he's locked up I still had it in my head that something would happen"

Stef felt a lump in her throat, tears filled in her eyes. Ivy still wasn't looking at her she let out a dry laugh and whispered "That's why I tried...when you found me in the bath...when I"

"You tried to kill yourself because you wanted to _protect_ this _family_?" Ivy finally looked up at Stef and saw how shocked she looked. Ivy nodded and tears fell down her cheeks and this time she didn't wipe them away "Rather _me_...than _you_ "

Stef grew speechless. All of her words that she wanted to get out were suddenly stuck in her throat.

 _"Ivy? Ivy are you in here?" Stef called as she got into Ivy's room. It had been a week since Ivy lost the baby. She had been distant a lot lately. She'd hardly even spoke. Locking herself away in her bedroom all the time. Stef walked forward in the room and then saw water come through from the bathroom. Stef's eyes widened as she looked at the door, her eyes flashed briefly to the folded up note at the side and got the idea of what Ivy was doing._

 _She wasted no time, she took a step back and kicked the door open. Seeing in front of her, Ivy's arm draped over the bath. Stef screamed as she ran over to Ivy and dragged her out of the bath. Her eyes were shut, she wasn't breathing but her heart was still beating. Stef pushed down on Ivy's chest to wake her up and get the water out of her system "Please baby don't do this" she cried, then giving her mouth to mouth she went back to pushing down on her chest "Oh god"_

 _All of a sudden. Ivy coughed up the water and rested the side of her head on the wet floor. Stef placed her hand on the back of Ivy's head as tears streamed down her cheeks._

 _"You should have let me go" Ivy cried out hysterically. She slapped her hand on the floor and cried hard "You should have let me go"_

 _"I promised you I wouldn't" Stef cried as she brought Ivy up and held her tightly, rocking her softly as Ivy cried to her._

Ivy laid her head in her hands and shook her head as she mumbled through her hands "Sometimes I still think you should've let me go"

Stef stared at her, covering her mouth with her hand "Are you...Ivy I" she shut her eyes and ran the palm of her down her face, her voice was chocked up, her words came out in a whisper from getting so upset "You're my baby"

Stef then put her hand on the back of Ivy's head and pulled her close. The last time she had been allowed to hold Ivy was that day she tried to kill herself. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"You can fight me, you can yell, you can push...but you'll _always_ be my baby"

Ivy said nothing more, she just cried. Letting it all out and better yet letting Stef hold her whilst she did so.

* * *

 **Ivy finally opened up! Looks like she's making progress! Do you think Caleb's words influenced her to do so? And what do you think will happen now.**

 **Please leave reviews below!**


	9. Downward Spiral

The next few days felt rather _odd_. After Ivy had opened up to Stef, Ivy was still distance to a certain point. She spent more time in the house which felt weird to everyone, including herself. But it made them happy. It made them glad. It was still a rough start, but it seemed that Ivy was making progress. She had been going to the boxing gym everyday, she even had the chance to punch Caleb a couple of times in the ring which was always a pleasure on her behalf.

"You're getting better at this than I can actually take" Caleb huffed out as he took a step backwards in the ring in order to catch his breath. Holding his hand to his stomach, he laughed as he breathed out deeply. The gym was closed on a Tuesday so they could have the place to themselves to do training.

Ivy shrugged "Hey, if you can't deal with it I can take it down a notch"

"Alright princess don't get too ahead of yourself" Caleb laughed as he then took a sip from his water bottle, then throwing it to the side he wiped his forehead of sweat with his rag towel.

"So, how's it going with your mom"

"Whoa. What about our rule"

Caleb rolled his eyes and nodded "I know. I know...no-"

"No mention of my family life and how I am with my mom"

Caleb sighed and then pulled a long shrug as he looked back to her "I just worry"

Ivy stared at him, right in his eyes. Confused by his statement. But was then corrected as Caleb quickly added on "About your mom. Don't want you putting her through all the trouble again"

"Oh please" Ivy lightly pushed him away "Look. All you need to know is that it's better"

"Well good I'm glad"

"Ah, glad I'm not putting my mom through the ringer?"

Caleb shook his head "Not just that. You may still hate me Ivy but like it or not you're kinda growing on me" Caleb stated as he walked over to a ring side and then ducked under it and left it. Ivy looked at him and then let out a puff of air in disbelief "You're joking right?"

"What?" Caleb sighed as he put his vest top back on.

Ivy laid her hands on the ring side and looked at him, with her eyebrows pinching together "Are you having an attempt to hit on me. Cause I think I might throw up"

Caleb bellowed a loud laugh, smacking his stomach as he stumbled back slightly. He then soon enough cut of his laugh and shook his head "If I was hitting on ya, you'd know about it"

"You're nauseating"

"Part of the Boston charm"

"Boston is sure as hell different from San Diego then" Ivy rolled her eyes and took her hands off of the ring side.

"Besides. You'd be a nightmare" Caleb added in a mumble.

"Oh. Like you'd be a walk in the park" Ivy bit back as she turned back and looked at him. Caleb shrugged "I'm a pretty laid back guy to be honest"

"Right" Ivy muttered as she took off her gloves. Looking up to the ceiling for a moment she let out a deep breath, that little session did ware her out she wasn't gonna lie.

"You got anything planned tonight then, Foster?"

Ivy looked back at him and then exited the ring herself.

"Yeah, I'm just going for coffee with my friend later on. Making amends...kinda treated her badly in the past so"

Caleb nodded "That's good then"

Ivy looked at him and raised her eyebrows to him "Oh sorry am I supposed to ask you what you're doing?"

Caleb rolled his eyes and gave a nod at her cold humor. Ivy motioned her hand to him "Okay. Gee Caleb, what're you doing tonight?"

"Thanks for asking Ivy" he laid on sarcastically "I'm patrolling tonight"

Ivy raised her eyebrows and nodded "Ah, so we are both in for an exciting night"

* * *

Ivy was practically out all day, after her boxing session was over and done with. Ivy was home for short time as she went home, got in the shower had her tea with the family and got herself ready for her coffee catch up with Lottie.

It was 7pm. Ivy waited at a table beside the window in Starbucks as she waited for her friend to arrive and sit across the way from her. She hoped that it wasn't going to be too frosty. Since she had it sunken into her head that Lottie would still be pissed at her seen as Milo was. When she heard the door open as the little bell run along with it, Ivy looked up and was glad to see that it was in fact Lottie who came in.

When Lottie's eyes finally set on Ivy, she let out a warm smile and walked over to her, before Ivy had the chance to stand up. Lottie leaned down and gave Ivy a kiss, then sitting down facing her. Letting out a big breath "God, work has been manic today"

Ivy let out a subtle sigh of relief. Okay, Lottie was no longer mad. She was acting like normal.

"Well I'm not wasting time I'm getting a coffee, want one?"

"Yeah go for it, I'll have a-"

"A venti latte with two sugars, I know" Lottie winked before getting up and heading over to the counter.

Ivy looked down and saw that she had gotten a snapchat from Caleb after he sneakily added himself off of her phone when she left it for a minute foolishly unlocked. He didn't go through anything though, he was a gentlemen when it pleasure him. She opened it and saw Caleb taking a picture in his cop car with the guy he was on patrol tonight with. Milo.

"Oh shit" Ivy whispered to herself, then reading the little caption _'We'll have some conversations tonight ;)'_

She didn't know whether he was being serious or if he was joking. Either way she didn't reply to his snap and just borderline ignored it. Lottie sat back down with their coffee's "So we haven't spoken in a while-well longer than we usually do anyway" she said with a light laugh.

"Yeah...Lots listen, I'm sorry about the whole apartment thing I just-I hit a weak spot"

"You've been seeming to hit that a lot lately"

Ivy bit her lip and rubbed her forehead as she nodded and muttered "I know" she then changed her tone to a more clear one and she let out a small smile "But I feel like I'm doing better, seriously I haven't smoked in nearly a week now, I'm doing some training at that boxing gym"

"And your family?"

"I opened up to my mom a little the other day" Ivy twiddled with her fingers as she stared down at them and lightly laughed "Which I haven't done in such a long time" she then wrapped her hands around her cup of coffee to warm her hands and looked back into Lottie's eyes "Felt pretty good"

Lottie let out a smile and nodded with her eyebrows raised "Yeah, that's why you were being encouraged to do so, cause it felt good"

Ivy nodded and took a sip of her coffee "Well, the kids are still a little fifty fifty with me"

"You're easing back into it and so are they, you've been a very different person through your grief and I'm sure they understand that"

Ivy sat back in her chair and sighed "Milo doesn't"

Lottie remained silent for a moment. Knowing the times he had been ranting to her at the nights he'd come home, especially on the day that Ivy tried to talk to him and he totally pushed her out. He was so mad. But it wasn't necessarily about being mad at her, but being mad at the situation. How they ended up here, losing one friend by death and another by grief at the age of just twenty one was a big thing to process. It's normally old people that would lose a friend to death. In a perfect world that's how it would be anyway. You live a full life to a ripe old age and then you pass on. Not when you're just twenty one and committing to starting a new life with the girl you love. Milo was angry at Ivy, yes, that was true he was by the lying and the pushing away. But he was angry at so much more than that. Perhaps even a little angry at himself, not taking Jason more seriously perhaps, unaware that Nate's death has turned him into a slightly different person too.

She rubbed her lips together and shrugged "He understands you're hurting...he just, he doesn't get why you'd changed _so_ much. And why you'd lie to us, even if it was the smallest things we didn't get it"

"I know, I'm sorry" Ivy said as she slid her hand over the table and grabbed hold of hers "But I mean it this time, Lottie, I'm _really_ trying this time"

Lottie grinned and gave her hand a squeeze "Good. I can tell that you mean it this time"

Ivy smiled and then slid her hand back to her coffee and took a sip, changing the subject onto more general things that they would talk about on a normal day in a normal situation.

* * *

Ivy walked down the street with Lottie after they had their coffee. She had a good feeling that she had gotten on the right side of Lottie again. She was making progress, making amends with those whom she had hurt.

The women walked past a bar that had outside tables. And sat on one of those tables was an old acquaintance to say the very least.

"Oh my god is that Ivy Foster?"

Ivy stopped, looked at Lottie who also didn't know the voice. Ivy slowly turned around to match the face with the slightly drunken voice. It was Lauren. Nate's old girlfriend. Hayley's cousin, both total bitches and manipulative as Milo described her. Ivy rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. Lauren pointed to her with her drink in her hand "I haven't seen you prancing around here in awhile"

Ivy gave a tight smile and nodded "Yeah it's not my scene anymore"

"Shame. We never got a chance to talk"

Ivy placed her hand on Lottie's arm to turn her around as she went to walk away and said in a soft tone "We have nothing to talk about. Enjoy your night"

"Actually we do" Lauren stumbled up from her seat, her friends rising with her with concern. Ivy stopped and groaned under her breath, she turned back to her "Lauren. I don't want to get into this. Neither do you-"

"Oh _I_ do"

Lottie then spoke up "Come on, is this really necessary? She's already been put through hell"

"And I haven't?" Lauren snapped as she glared at Lottie, then taking her eyes back to Ivy she viciously pointed at her "You stole him away. You jumped into bed with him as soon as you came back. _You_ got him killed"

"Whoa" Lottie scowled holding her hand up at Lauren to signal for her to back off. Ivy kept her cool, she tried to keep her cool and carried on speaking in a calm voice "Lauren I _didn't_ steal him or jump into bed with him as soon as I got here...I gave Nate space and _he_ made his choice"

"No! No because he and I were in it for the long haul"

Ivy gently shook her head and shrugged "He told me otherwise"

Lauren scoffed and shook her head "He was a good man. He didn't deserve it"

"I know he was a good man! You think I don't know the kind of man he was? I knew him from being a baby to knowing him now-"

Lauren rolled her eyes "Oh la dee dah! Just because you knew Nate when he was playing in a sand box does not mean that you deserved to have him"

Ivy took Lottie's hand and scoffed "Come on this is worthless" once again they began to walk away. But Lauren wouldn't let it rest, she snarled once more "I heard about your baby. Perhaps it was karma. _You_ killed Nate. _You_ lose the baby you shared with him"

That was it. How could it not set her off, Lauren wanted to get deep under Ivy's skin and it worked. Hooked line and sinkered it worked. Among being drunk she was also just a hateful person. She wasn't hung up on Nate's death anymore. They didn't exactly have a huge love affair that could compare to Ivy and Nate. But she did blame Ivy for her months of misery.

"Ivy, Ivy look please just leave it" Lottie whispered. Ivy looked at her and saw her best friend shake her head and whisper again "I know it's hard but it will be better to just walk away"

But Ivy couldn't. She took some steps backwards and muttered.

"Sorry, Lots" Ivy then spun around and launched a punch right in Lauren's face "You talked about my Nate long enough, but if you _dare_ to mention my baby boy like that again..."

Lauren stood up and then back handed Ivy's cheek and snarled "The truth hurts doesn't it, you bitch. Look at you. Once a respected family girl that everybody adored. Now a washed up pothead and alcoholic. Nate would be ashamed" she laughed.

"You don't know shit about what Nate would be" Ivy grabbed hold of Lauren's face and threw her to the ground.

"Ivy! Stop it!" Lottie yelled as she tried and lift Ivy away only to be heavily pushed back by her friend as she continued to win in this attempt fight with Lauren.

* * *

"You know he'd have gotten that touchdown if Boldin hadn't of committed that foul"

"Couldn't agree with you more" Milo nodded to Caleb as he then looked out of the window. The boys were both on duty to just cruise around the area and make sure that everything was in check. Caleb cracked his back as he drove the vehicle and then sighed "Can't wait to get in my bed and sleep"

"Sleep what you gonna be doing?"

"How'd you mean?" Caleb laughed.

Milo raised his eyebrows and muttered "I heard about you and Nicole. The receptionist"

Caleb laughed and shook his head "One time thing...times three. It's nothing. No relationship zone whatsoever"

Milo shrugged as he phone began to ring "Nothing wrong with a bit of fun while it lasts. I used to make a lot of women's beds memorable"

"And now?"

Milo looked down to his phone and smirked as he held his phone up to Lottie's name on the phone "Now I just have one girl"

He then held the phone up to his ear "Alright, darlin'?"

 _"Not really. You need to get your ass to Stub's bar right now?"_

"Babe I can hardly hear you over the screaming what's going on?"

 _"Milo! Just get here! Stub's bar!"_ Without any further explanation, Lottie hung up. Milo cursed under his breath and shook his head, he looked up at Caleb "Alright, looks like we gotta go. Trouble at Stub's bar"

"That guy always gets trouble" Caleb muttered under his breath as he flicked on the siren then speeding their way down the road to the bar. Unaware it was Ivy that was part of the trouble causing.

Caleb and Milo's heads turned to the side of Stub's bar and saw two women fighting.

"Great" Milo groaned as he rolled his eyes. Caleb pulled the car over and the two men got out. Lottie saw Milo and let out a sigh of relief "Thank God" she walked over and gripped onto his shirt as Caleb carried on walking over, Milo looked to Lottie and put his hand on her cheek "What's going on? Where's Ivy"

Lottie just raised an eyebrow to him. Milo's jaw slightly dropped "Oh you have got to be bloody kidding me"

Caleb was now close up enough to see the girl's face. When he saw Ivy's face, his eyes widened "Whoa whoa, Ivy!" Caleb jumped in and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pulling her back, Milo ran forward and pulled Lauren back "Lauren?"

Lauren rolled her eyes "Milo. Always nice to see you"

"What the hell are you doing?" Caleb snarled as he took Ivy's arm and walked her away. Then stopping them both and facing her "Just because you do some boxing on the side does _not_ mean you get to go around beating the crap outta people!"

Ivy scoffed and motioned her hand to Lauren "She provoked me"

"She _provoked_ you? What're you, a bear?"

"Caleb please. Like you've never been provoked before!" Caleb didn't reply. She was right. He was just annoyed since he thought that she was making good progress like the rest of them. Caleb looked down at her bleeding knuckles. He took his hands off his hips and took hold of her bleeding hand "We better get that cleaned up"

"Sure _dad_ "

"Why won't you just let people care about you at least once, Foster" Caleb rolled his eyes.

As Lauren's friends attended to her, Milo ordered them to make sure they don't go anywhere. Milo walked back over to Lottie, they both looked at Caleb and Ivy. He wasn't aware the two of them knew each other as well as they seemed too given the way they were standing and their intense faces along with an intense looking conversation, Milo looked at Lottie

"Who started it?"

"What?" Lottie asked as she took her focus back onto Milo.

"Who started the fight?" Milo repeated "And Lottie. I'll believe you whatever you say but please don't lie to me"

"When you ask who started it-"

"Who hit first?" Milo said along with a sigh slipping out with it.

Lottie lightly scratched her forehead and glanced to Ivy and nodded at her "Ivy took the first hit"

"Can't say I'm surprised. Just disappointed"

Milo went to walk over to Ivy. Lottie grabbed his arm "Whoa, what're going to do?"

"She's assaulted someone, look at Lauren's face. I'm a cop I gotta take her in"

"Milo…"

"Lottie. This is my job" Milo said as he put his hands on his cuffs. Lottie took a deep breath through her nose as she slid her hand down his arm, watching him walk over to Ivy. Lottie looked behind her to see the blood faced Lauren, but also...a smirk along with it. Lottie shook her head and walked away, over to Ivy.

As Milo came over to them. Caleb looked to Milo "Sup, man?"

Milo looked at Ivy "Ivy, I gotta take you in"

"You're joking" Ivy laughed.

Milo shook his head "No. I'm not"

Ivy looked at Caleb, he said nothing. At all. He even took his hand away from hers and stepped aside. Milo took hold of Ivy's wrists and put on the handcuffs "Are you serious right now?"

"It's my job"

Ivy let out a dry laugh and looked to Caleb. His arms were crossed and his face was stone cold. She then looked at Lottie, whose expression was a mix of both guilt and disappointment in Ivy. She tried to get her to stop. But Ivy would never listen. Milo walked over to the car. Caleb walked Ivy to the car.

"I can't believe this"

"Did you take the first hit?" Caleb sighed.

"Yes"

"Then believe it. Cause like it or not, you've assaulted someone. You just better hope that girl doesn't press charges"

Ivy rolled her eyes and ducked her head down as she slid in the car.

* * *

Stef had been getting missed calls from Lottie and Caleb as soon as he reached the station with Ivy, putting her in one of the over night cells. Her phone was on silent for ages before it died. It was now 9:30. Ivy had been in the cell for just about 40 minutes. The family were wondering why she was taking so long with Lottie. They were only getting coffee and something to eat for god sakes how much do they need to catch up on?

Stef was about to leave the house and headed down to the station when she remembered that she left her works laptop at the station and she needed to go over facts in her recent case.

"Do me a favor, love and try to call Ivy or Lottie for that matter just to get an idea on what time she'll get home" Stef softly ordered Lena as she looked down at her watch.

"Or she could be home by the time you get back"

"Yeah well there is always that" Stef sighed as she placed her hands on her hips, looking back to Lena who was giving her _the look_ with a smirk on her face. Stef rolled her eyes and dropped her hands "Okay, what?"

"She's been getting back to normal over these past few days and you're still acting like she's out there getting into trouble" Lena mumbled a laugh "Still the protective mommy"

"Well I've always been that" she dryly laughed "But I know, better snap out of it. It's not like she's got arrested or something right, speaking of which I really better go to the station and get the laptop" Stef gave Lena a quick kiss on the cheek "Shan't be long"

Lena smiled as she watched Stef leave the house, with more of a spring in her step ever since she and Ivy had-had that chat the other night.

It didn't take long for Stef to get to the station. She parked up and then saw Milo having a smoke out side the station, with Lottie by his side as they were talking rather intensely. Then she began to worry on why Ivy wasn't with Lottie. Stef jogged over to them "Hey you two"

Lottie and Milo's face dropped even more "Stef" Lottie mumbled "I've been trying to call you" she said in a more normal tone as she scratched her forehead. Stef sighed and patted her phone that was in her pocket "Yeah it's died...where's Ivy"

Milo took the cigarette out of his mouth and cleared his throat "Look, Stef, this is why we've been tryna call you"

"Why? Is she alright?"

Milo licked his bottom lip and nodded to inside "She's inside" before he had chance to finish his sentence, Stef ran in "Hold on, Ste-" it was already too late. She was in the station before Milo even had the chance to set her straight.

Caleb turned around from looking into Ivy's cell as he heard his name called by Stef "Shit" he muttered. Caleb walked over to Stef and held his hands up "Stef, Stef I tried to call you"

"Yeah I know my phone has been dead now where is Ivy?"

Caleb ran his fingers through his hair "Stef, something happened tonight"

"Is she okay!?"

"Yes she's fine"

"Then where is she?"

Caleb sighed deeply through his nose and then stepped aside. Stef's eyes fell to the cell that he was standing in front of, she could only she the bottom of the boots from the person lay on the bed but she'd know those boots anywhere. After all she did buy them for her. Before Stef went over there, she looked at Caleb "What did she do?"

"She assaulted a girl" Caleb said in a whisper.

Stef scoffed with shock "Well that's a new one" she ran the palms of her hands down her face "Here's me thinking she was doing better"

"We were all hoping that"

Stef looked up at Caleb "I didn't think you cared that much"

Caleb rubbed his lips and cleared his throat "Just, go talk to her, okay?" He down the hall and back to his desk. Stef walked forward, over to the cell. Ivy looked up from laying her head on the pillow and sighed, she sat herself up and looked up to her "Hi mom"

"Don't _hi mom_ me...are you kidding me Ivy, are you _seriously_ sat in a jail cell right now?"

Ivy gulped heavily and ran her fingers through her hair as she leaned her elbows on her legs, locking her fingers together. She remained silent. Stef dropped her hands "Alright well...I'll speak to you tomorrow" she began to walk down the hall. Ivy shot up and walked over to the cell "What?"

"Well I came here for my laptop. Didn't come here for you especially with the fact I didn't even know you were here"

"But can't you-"

"Get you out? Absolutely not. I'm may be your mother but I'm also a cop and it would go against my duty to get you out when you've done the wrong. Cringe all you want but there is that phrase don't do the crime if you can't do the time"

"It was a misunderstanding!"

"Misunderstanding or not Ivy, you've been accused of attacking someone, which is?"

"Lauren"

Stef's face dropped "Lauren...jesus that is not going to help your case if she presses charges is it"

"I thought you were having more faith in me"

"I was...and I have never been more disappointed" Stef said as she looked at her dead in the eyes "I'll come back in the morning, maybe spending a night in a jail cell will do you good"

With no more words she walked down the hall. Leaving her alone in the cell.

* * *

 **It was going well! Do you think Ivy was in the wrong for having a fight with Lauren?**

 **Leave reviews below on what you thought and what you want to happen in future chapters**


	10. A New Leaf

The very next morning, Stef got up early in order to be able to sort out this whole Ivy ordeal. She didn't tell the kids about Ivy, hopefully Lauren won't press any charges and she may not even be able to given when both sides of the story is heard, and if she is released. Stef won't tell them at all. Lena was asleep when she got home so she didn't even get the chance to tell her. Last night, Stef knew she was harsh. She knew she should've stuck around and heard her out, but it was such an angsty time and everyones head was all over the place. Stef's included. She wasn't thinking straight.

When she got to the station in fact. Ivy was already out. Stood with Caleb. Stef tilted her head and walked over to them both "What's going on?"

"Lauren isn't pressing charges. She actually admitted to provoking Ivy" Caleb said as Ivy just stood there with her arms crossed.

"Why would she admit to that-"

"Lottie _and_ her friends didn't back her up, she didn't have a leg to stand on" Ivy stated as she lightly shook her head. Stef rubbed her lips together and looked back to Ivy. Great. Now she felt extremely guilty for not listening to her. Ivy could tell how upset Stef felt by all of this, Stef ran her fingers through her hair "I'm sorry for..."

Ivy waved her hand to wave away the situation and shook her head as she looked back to Stef "Mom, let's just forget it. I understand why you felt the way you did"

Stef let out a small smile and nodded "Alright, well you want to go?"

"Yes please" Stef nodded and motioned her hand for Ivy to follow her out. Ivy took a step forward and then turned back around to Caleb "Listen I err...thanks for having my back last night. You were one of the only ones who actually heard me out"

Caleb smirked "Are you actually saying something... _nice_ to me?"

Ivy rolled her eyes "Yes okay, it's known to happen"

Caleb took a step closer to her, their faces closer together and then whispered "Careful Ivy, people might actually start to know you've got a heart"

Stef turned around and saw the way Ivy and Caleb were...and a light bulb went off in her head. Ivy lightly pushed Caleb back "We wouldn't want that would be?"

"No" Caleb whispered with his smile still lingering on his face "Hey you wanna meet me at the burger shack? I'm going for a run and you like to eat there so"

"Oh god-"

"I'm not asking you out" he laughed " _Believe_ me I'm not asking you out. But believe it or not you're good company"

Ivy debated it. She wasn't in work today, she was a full time teacher now on a part time job since she had a trainee teacher working with her since Monday like she was for Timothy. To be honest she was beginning to realize that this teaching job was not what she signed up for. She stopped her writing and she never understood why she did stop. Staying in that cell over night was a wake up call like Stef said. Ivy looked back at him and gave him a nod "Sure"

"One o'clock"

"Yep" Ivy nodded as she then walked away and caught up with Stef.

* * *

The car ride was filled with conversation when it used to be filled with nothing but silence.  
"Alright so tell me whats she said to you"

Ivy sighed and looked up to the ceiling as she thought hard about it "She was ranting on about Nate, saying that I jumped into bed with him as soon as I came home and that I got him killed-"

"She said that! No wonder you hit her now that we know the full story"

"Actually it wasn't exactly that-that made me go for her. She brought the baby into it"

Stef took her eyes off of the road for moment and looked at Ivy with a shocked expression "Are you kidding me?"

Ivy shook her head and looked at Stef. Stef took her eyes back on the road but still kept a shocked look on her face "Wow, oh honey I'm sorry. Any woman would react the way you'd react I think"

"So you don't think I'm going down some sort of downward spiral?"

Stef smiled and took hold of Ivy's hand in the car "No, no I don't"

Ivy let out a small smile, one that Stef didn't think she'd be able to see again. She could tell that a million things were running through Ivy's head. And it made Stef curious "What is it?"

Ivy looked back to Stef and ran her fingers through her hair as she thought even more, she leaned forward in her seat "Could you drop me off at the school please" Stef raised an eyebrow to her, already beginning to make the turn towards the school she still questioned "Why? Exactly?"

"I just need to do something, I'll explain when I get home, promise"

Stef wholeheartedly believed her. It didn't seem like Ivy was thinking of something bad, she seemed very relaxed about it, which made Stef feel more relaxed. She nodded and pulled the car over outside of the school. Stef watched Ivy as Ivy stared at the school. Stef rubbed Ivy's back "You okay?"  
Ivy came back down to earth and looked to Stef "Yeah. I'm fine. I won't be long"

"Okay, I'll wait out here"

Ivy nodded, got out the car and began to walk up to inside the school. She walked down the halls, looking into her classroom where the trainee teacher was teaching her glass, through the small window she saw Jesus at the back with Emma, a secret smile formed on her lips. The trainee seemed to be doing well. He was able to make them smile and laugh. Something she wasn't able to do in so long now. Ivy slid her hand down the frame of the door and carried on walking down the hall. Past Lena's office who didn't even notice Ivy walking past. Ivy went straight to Monte's office.

She softly knocked on the door as she slowly opened it "Monte?"

Monte looked up and smiled gently "Ivy, hi...what are you doing here, we gave you the day off for the trainee"

Ivy shut the door behind her and leaned her back against it for a brief moment before pushing herself off of it and walking over to her desk, she laid her hands on the desk and bowed her head to look down at the desk for a moment "Ivy? You okay?"

"You know what?" Ivy muttered, she then stood back up straight and looked at Monte "I am. I really am which is why...I'm resigning"

Monte's face dropped, she didn't understand at all. If Ivy was feeling better in herself like she appeared and said to be then why would she leave this job? Monte slowly stood up and tilted her head slightly "Ivy, I'm afraid I don't understand. I thought you liked it here"

"Oh I did. I liked it here. I loved it here. When Nate was here...it took me a while to figure it out, don't get me wrong I enjoyed teaching and helping kids it felt fulfilling, however I enjoyed being here so much because I was working with someone I love, it made it fun and it made me happy to see him everyday. You noticed how miserable I went correct?"

Monte nodded and shrugged "We thought it was just because of your grief"

"It was, to a degree. Before I lost my baby, I was _healing_ , I wasn't as cold with the kids. But I still wasn't the same with them on how I used to be, and then when I lost the baby well I just...I just totally lost it"

"I understand this Ivy, but why quit, why now if you're-"

"Because I realized that the only reason I stayed here deep down was because this was a part of me and him. We went to school together here, we dated here. As both students and teachers...this is a cord that I need to cut, in order to be able to move on. I mean-what do I do when I sit alone at my desk? I hear his voice, I hear the conversations we've had my room and in the halls and it's haunting me to be blunt. Monte I never planned on being a teacher here, I fell into it. It made me stop what I always lived my life doing...writing. I want to get back to my roots and I want to free myself from _this_ "

Ivy's little speech had stopped. She just shut up now and looked at Monte. Waiting for her to respond. Monte's face had no longer had a confused expression, her expression softened. She now understood, she respected Ivy and her decision. Monte knew that if she was in Ivy's position then she'd decide this was the right choice too. Monte softly nodded "Okay, Ivy, I understand why you've decided this, a weeks notice shall we say?"

"Yeah that suits me" Ivy nodded as she ran her fingers through her hair. Monte nodded and gave a soft smile "Okay then"

Ivy gave another nod and turned around, putting her handle on the door. Only opening it slightly, she heard Monte call her "Ivy"

Ivy turned her head and raised her eyebrows "Mm-hm?"

Monte smiled at her "I'm sorry to see you go...but I'm happy for you"

"Thanks, Monte...oh and don't tell my mom, I'll explain when she gets home"

"Sure, okay"

Ivy gave her a smile and then left the office.

* * *

Ivy sat herself back into the car. Stef looked at her with her eyebrows risen "What happened then?"

Ivy let out a small sigh and nodded to down the road "Like I said, I'll explain when we get home"

Stef turned the engine back on and muttered "Oh a cliff hanger" she began to drive down the road.

They reached the house not long afterwards. Stef had to be back in work in just over an hour. So she had time to sit down with Ivy and listen to what she had to say. Ivy grabbed herself a bottle of coke from out of the fridge and sat down facing Stef, opening the bottle top she took a swig of her drink, she rubbed her lips together and then looked at Stef, clearing her throat she then said "I resigned from the school"

"You what!? Ivy-"

"Mom. It was the right thing to do. The only reason I stayed there is because I didn't want to take myself away from Nate but it was making me _miserable_ and I felt like the only reason I was there is because I felt like I was betraying him in some way if I left...you remembered what I was always about. Writing. Scripts, Short Stories, novels...all of those made me happy and I want-I _need_ to get back to that. He'd want that"

Stef smiled and took hold of her hand "Now there's the Ivy I know"

"So you're not mad?"

"No I'm not mad, you're sure about this and it'll hopefully make you happy so no I'm not mad"

Ivy gave a tight smile. She was still working on letting out her emotions fully, walls were coming down _extremely_ slowly. But they were coming down non the less.

"So, what's this about you and Caleb?"

"Me and Caleb?" Ivy raised an eyebrow and then shrugged "We box together, we argue we-"

"Go to lunch together?" Stef said with a small smirk "Like today when he asked you to go to the burger shack with him"

Ivy rolled her eyes "Completely _platonic_. Apparently he thinks I'm good company which is very hard to believe. Think he just likes to annoy me"

"And you like _being_ annoyed"

Ivy sighed and shrugged "He's annoying but he gives good _speeches_ , whilst we're being honest he's the main reason we had that talk the other night"

"He was?" Stef said with her eyebrows raised. Ivy nodded "During the boxing we did"

Stef found herself smiling. Caleb clearly does care about her. Despite all the teasing and bickering the two of them have. They have something. It's a kind of relationship that Ivy has never had before. She's never usually gotten along with someone she disliked. Which is why Stef thinks there is more to these two than meets the eye. If Ivy wouldn't admit it, she can't fool her mother.

* * *

 _1:05pm_

Ivy walked to the burger shack and saw Caleb walk over and sit down to a table that looked put right to the beach. A table Ivy always likes to eat at. He sat down with a bottle of water and a club sandwich. She walked over, Caleb looked up and smiled "Nice of you to show up _five minute_ s late"

"I like to keep you on your toes" Ivy muttered as she sat down and faced him.

"Hungry?"

"Not really, could do with a drink though" Ivy looked to the side "Marty!" she called the young boy behind the bar. He looked up "Ivy! Where've you been! It's been a week!"

"You know me always busy, can I have my usual drink please?"

"Of course!"

Ivy looked back to Caleb who had an eyebrow raised at her, Ivy shrugged and leaned on the table "Old friend from school, kinda had a crush on me since the eighth grade"

"Ah, so you use your good looks for evil" Caleb stated as he stood hold of his sandwich.

"You think I have good looks?" Ivy teased. Caleb laughed but didn't answer. He just took a bite. Ivy laid her head into her hands. Caleb looked up as he chomped on his beefy sandwich. He gave her a light punch on her arm "Penny for your thoughts"

"I quit my job today"

"And you did that because?"

Ivy rolled her eyes, not really having the energy to go through it again. She let out a shrug "I wasn't happy there, it's a long story but it was the right choice"

Caleb sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, he then shrugged and said with a light laugh "Fair enough, so what next for you? Police?" he joked. Ivy let out a puff of air through her nose as she looked but at him "Mom would love that" Ivy sat back as Marty brought over her drink "On the house for your birthday I missed"

"Marty you don't have to-"

"I know I know, you don't like your birthday anymore. Shame. Was a hell of a party last year, just take it on me, okay?" Marty smiled as he placed his hand on the back of her head for a brief moment before walking away. Ivy gave him a grateful nod.

"So would I, quite fancy your mom in that uniform so I can only imagine what you'd be like" he joked and then laughed at himself soon afterwards. Ivy raised her eyebrow at him and shook her head "You're encourage-able"

"I'd like to think so...so any plans for this weekend?"

Ivy's eyebrows pinched together "I don't know, I was thinking about it when I was walking up here and I'm thinking about getting away for the weekend but...but with my family"

Caleb raised an eyebrow "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. There's this place we always used to go as like a tradition. I might pass it by my moms and see what they think"

"It'll be good to get away. I'm getting away for the weekend too. Every other weekend I go to the same place as like a get away. Does me the world of good so it'll probably do you the world of good too"

"You go alone?"

"Sometimes. The last time I took a _friend-"_

"And of course by friend you mean the girl your sleeping with"

Caleb stopped his words and looked at her, he rolled his eyes and held up his hands "I'm a single man"

"Never said you weren't. Milo was just like you" Ivy muttered as she took a sip of her ice latte "Sleeping with many women to try and fill the void of being alone"

"What makes you think I feel alone?"

"Well for one you want to spend time with me and you can't sink much lower now can you"

Caleb let out a laugh and nodded "Well you got me there...but it's not like that, alright?"

Ivy placed her straw in her mouth and drank her drink with her eyebrows raised, as a way to show that she both doesn't really believe him but also that it's not her responsibility to judge him. And she doesn't. It doesn't even surprise her to be quite honest, nor does it bother her. Caleb got back onto the original subject, running his fingers through his hair he nodded to her "But anyway, I think a weekend get away with your family is a good idea"

Ivy nodded and shrugged "I know that's why I came up with it"

Caleb sighed lightly "Ah, I need to teach you how to take compliments"

Ivy took her latte out of her mouth and ignored him as she then began to feel hungry and ordered her usual food.

* * *

By the time Ivy got home, everyone else was home. Mariana and Callie were with Stef and Lena in the kitchen.

"Hey buba" Lena smiled as she saw Ivy walk into the kitchen. Ivy looked to Stef and asked her with just the look of an expression if Lena knew. Stef simply nodded. Lena seemed to be okay with it then, Stef clearly must have explained well enough to Lena. She's sure that she'd talk it through properly later on. Ivy ran her fingers through hair and then placed her hands behind her back and walked forward at the kitchen table. She then laid her hands on the table and looked at them.

"So guys, I was thinking"

"Uh-oh" Stef mumbled with a small smirk on her face. Ivy rolled her eyes and mocked a laugh.

Lena giggled and waved her hand "Ignore her, sweetie, what were you thinking about?"

"Well. We haven't gone camping in a while, so this weekend I was hoping that we could? I just need to get away but I want my family with me, you know...building bridges and all" Ivy said as she looked to Mariana and Callie who gave her sweet smiles. They loved the idea already. Mariana looked to Stef and Lena "Oh please moms can we! It's been a while and I've actually grown to like camping"

Stef and Lena looked at Mariana, then looked at each other. Both already agreeing with each other. They smiled and looked back to Ivy. Stef rubbed her lips and nodded "Yeah, of course"

"Great" Ivy said with a small smile. Still working on a grin.

Lena walked over to the sink with Stef and whispered "So, we're renting out our usual place?"

"Is that site twelve?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Change it to site five"

Lena's eyebrows pinched together and looked at Stef's smug grin "Why?"

"I'll explain later, just call them and ask for site five"

Lena gave in and nodded as she dialed the number.

* * *

 **The less angsty chapters start here! Do you think Ivy was right by quitting her job and why do you think changed the site number?**

 **Please leave reviews below!**


	11. Camping trip day one

Lottie came round to Ivy's on friday. The day they were all packing to go camping. Lottie went round to talk and help Ivy pack. But mostly just there to talk. She had something on her mind since the night of the fight. Lottie handed Ivy the shirt she had requested to put in her bag, as she did. Lottie subtly snuck in her question.

"So about the other night"

"Is this a lecture?" Ivy raised her eyebrows to Lottie, then looking down and stuffing the shirt in her bag.

"No" Lottie said in a high pitched tone as she sat on the bed. She leaned her hand on the bag and said with a smirk "What's going on with you and that cop?"

"What cop-Caleb?"

Lottie nodded "Mm-hm. The guy that was with Milo. You two seemed...intense. Stood _very_ close together...holding your hand"

Ivy rolled her eyes "We were stood close cause he has no clue about personal boundaries. He was holding my hand because it was cut and he wanted me to get it checked out. Dramatic as usual"

Lottie looked at Ivy, a little bit gob smacked "How long have you know this guy?"

"Like, a month or so" she scoffed as she looked down to her phone.

"Scoffing. Says a lot about what you think"

Ivy looked back to Lottie and raised her eyebrows at her "What are you talking about?"

"Please. You can't deny that _Caleb_ is drop dead gorgeous. I mean his hair, his face those arms"

"Need I remind you that you _are_ with my other best friend"

Lottie laughed "I'm just being honest with what I see...but you're not"

Ivy shrugged, her sentence got stuck in her throat "A-Alright yes, Caleb is good looking. But he's...he's _irritating_ "

Lottie let out a laugh. Ivy had just played right into her hands, she pointed to Ivy "You like him"

"No. Lottie. I like coffee. I like burgers. I like beer. But Caleb...no"

Lottie smirked "Hm defensive too, that must mean that you really _really_ like him"

Ivy let out a small laugh "You were the same about Milo"

"You're making this too easy"

"What!"

"I _was_ like that about Milo and now look at us"

Ivy went to speak but she didn't know what to say at first, she just rolled her eyes and shook her head "Different situation. You guys have history. Now drop it"

Lottie did as she was told, her held her hands up and lay back on the bed. Ivy zipped up her bag and threw it on Lottie's stomach which ultimately winded her. Ivy muffled a laugh and tapped Lottie's head "Make yourself useful then and carry that in the kitchen where all the other shit is"

Lottie groaned and threw herself up from the bed with the bag in her hand. Ivy walked into the kitchen to see her moms laughing and joking as they got the bags all together, ready to put in the car.  
"Hey baby" Stef said through her laughs.

Ivy raised her eyebrows at them "What're you two laughing at"

"I daren't repeat it" Lena mumbled. Ivy held her hands up and shook her head "Okay. Right. Please don't"

Stef walked over to Ivy and placed a kiss on her cheek "We're so glad we're going this"

Ivy let out a sigh and nodded as Stef walked back over to the kitchen table "Me too. I need it...hey you never said why we aren't on the usual site?"

"Already booked" Stef shrugged as she lied. Ivy didn't question it.

Lottie ran her fingers through her hair " Right well I better be off. You guys look like you're ready to hit the road so" Lottie pulled Ivy in tight and gave her a hug "I'll see you when you get back"

"Yeah" Ivy said with a tight smile "I'll call you when I get back"

"Yeah I'm counting on it" Lottie then walked past Stef and Lena and shot them a smile as she past them "Have fun you two"

"Oh we will" Stef smiled.

"See you soon, sweetie" Lena rubbed Lottie's back as she past them. Ivy let out a sigh and pointed upwards "They ready?"

"Almost" Lena rolled her eyes, the kids always took this long. Ivy smirked and picked up some bags "I'll go start packing up"

Ivy walked outside to see Brandon just getting off the phone. Ivy dropped her arms as she looked at him "You alright?"

"Hm? Oh yeah yeahP He laughed then holding his phone up "Just about the band"

"Ah. I see"

Brandon pointed to one of the large gym bags and took one "Let me help you"

"Thanks" she mumbled as they walked down the steps and to Lena's car. She looked at him as they stuffed the bags into the boot, she put her hands on her hip "Y'know...I never thanked you. For sticking up for me the other day"

Brandon looked at her with a soft, surprised look on his face. Ivy nodded and carried on "Although the violence was obviously not ideal and that's coming from _me..._ I still really appriciate you defending me the way you did. Giving that shot of hope"

Brandon shrugged and slid his hands in his pockets "I spent like ten...eleven years not getting on with you, but I always deep down loved you even if I didn't show it. I know you nearly better than anyone, your good and bitchy side" he said with a light laugh "So I knew the way you were being just wasn't you, so yeah I had hope in you getting back, espeically from the night before"

Ivy glanced down the the ground as the momentarily flash back of that night hit her. She looked back at him fondly. After a long silence. Brandon let out a deep breath "Intense right"

"A little"

"Who'd thought that you and I would be sticking up for each other and having heart to hearts"

Ivy scruched her nose and shrugged as she began to walk away "Character development"

Brandon laughed and followed her.

* * *

The car ride up there. Ivy had Callie in her car with her. Thank god there was no awkward silence like there usually would be. They were finally back into having real actual conversations.

Callie looked to Ivy "So what was it like?"

Ivy glanced to Callie "What?"

"Being in a jail cell for the night"

Ivy's head snapped to Callie with a shocked look on her face. How'd she find out? Stef said that she wouldn't tell the kids.

"Callie how'd-"

"I over heard you and Lottie. Sorry. I was gonna come in to your room to see if you needed help and it was just the conversation you two were having"

Ivy sighed and nodded "I see" she said with a smrik to show Callie that she wasn't mad.

"So...what was it like?"

"Well you know how it is. It's shitty. Not as much as a rebel feeling to it as there is in those movies"

"True" Callie laughed as she looked back to straight down the road "You gonna tell me why you were in there then? I missed that part"

Ivy let out a debating sigh, she grabbed her bottle of water and took a sip of it. She paused for a moment and then gave in "I ran into that Lauren, you know Nate's ex?"

"Hayley's cousin right?"

"Yeah" Ivy bit her lip and shook her head softly "She was just saying loads of crap about, Nate and I and how I _stole_ him. How I got him killed, uh, yeah so I went to walk away and then she brought the baby into it. Said it was karma and I just snapped"

Callie's breath hitched "That's horrible. I don't blame you for it Ivy...was she much of a challenged"

"Please" Ivy scoffed with a laugh "Give me at least some credit"

Callie muttered a laugh and then took a heavy gulp "But are you alright? I mean the things she said must've been hard to hear"

Ivy nodded "Yeah they were but...when I was sat in that cell I realised that she was talking nothing but bullshit, what she was saying wasn't true. So it made me not care so much in the end. I just wish I'd have held my temper enough to not beat the shit out of her no matter how much she deserved it"

"I still would have slapped her" Callie stated as she looked out of the window.

"Well you're just all hard aren't you" Ivy teased, then getting a slap on the arm from her sister.

"I'm glad I've got this back" Callie said.

"What?"

"My sister"

Ivy grinned and looked back to Callie, she took one of her hands off of the wheel and took hold of Callie's "Me too...now get the radio on and lets karaoke the shit ou this car"

* * *

An hour and a half later and they had all pulled up to the campsite. Half an hour after that and they were all set up. Ivy confirmed in her head that this was the right move to take. She already felt at peace and they hadn't even been here for long. It was just like their other site except further down. They still had a big lake to themselves. It was like a personal little paradise. She'd pick a weekend in the woods over a weekend in spain anyday.

Nature. She was a sucker for it.

No phones was one of the best rules that moms could possibly set. Even though Ivy has seen Stef sneakily look at hers every now and then and then scares the hell out her by creeping up behind her. It was funny. But she promises this time she will go the full weekend without it. Lena and Ivy have a bet on that. Lena has faith in her wife. Ivy does not have faith in her mother.

Mariana continued with her glamping but at least she would get in the water now where as they used to have to push her in which was always fun on their behalf.

Ivy and Jesus haven't spoke much. They have said little but not had the bonding they always used to have. It really hurt Jesus by being pushed away and Ivy knew this. Hopefully this weekend will prove to him that Ivy was slowly getting back to the way she was. She was smiling for starters. Something they hadn't seen in a _long_ time.

So there was always that to think about.

"I want to get in that lake, right now" Ivy stated, tying her hair up in a scruffy bun and grabbing her bikini. Her mothers gave he a teasing _'Oohhh'_ Which just caused Ivy to roll her eyes. Ivy was a tomboy at heart. She didn't wear bikini bottoms. She hasn't always felt very comfortable in them, she wears swin shorts instead. They were much more comfortable.

Walking out of the tent, she hit Jesus on the knee, who was already in his swins shorts and shirt already off. Sunbathing. Jesus opened his eyes and looked at her. Ivy nodded to the lake "Come on"

"I dunno"

"Come on...I won't push you in this time" Ivy dryly joked as she began to walk to the lake. Jesus looked at Lena who nodded at Ivy, telling him to follow her. Jesus shrugged to himself and stood up, following her out.

Ivy jumped in the lake as Jesus soon followed her.

"I'm surprised you even suggested coming here" Was the first things that came out of Jesus's mouth to her.

"I've always been full of surprises"

"Yeah you can say that" Jesus mumbled as he ran his hands through his wet hair. He cleared his throat "I wanna ask you something"

"Shoot"

"Why have you suddenly turned a corner? What's happened?"

Ivy sighed and shrugged "It all just came tumbling down. I was losing everyone and it made me realise. I'm getting my anger and hurt out at the new boxing gym I've signed uo in and it helps"

"Really?"

"Mm-hm. I've got...a very _motivational_ trainer"

Jesus nodded "Yeah. Mom's fellow officer"

"How'd you-"

"Jude knows everything" Jesus shrugged. Ivy let out a small laugh and nodded "That he does. But yes he has been helping. Giving me a lecture all the time and annoying the hell out of me but I'd be lying if I'd say he hasn't helped"

"He can annoy you till his hearts content as long as you get backk to the way you were"

Ivy laughed and nodded "I'll tell him that. Sure he'll love the encouragment not that he needs it"

"Listen. I'm sorry I was a dick about you the other day. I was just upset and mad...I just felt pushed away"

"Jesus. It's okay, I get why you were mad. I'd be mad too, let"s just forget it"

It fell silent between them for a moment. Jesus's face then lit up "Hey, remember what we used to do in the lake?"

Ivy laughed and nodded "Yes I do" Ivy held out her foot to him "Your turn to pull me"

Jesus groaned and grabbed her ankle and swan as fast as he could. Dragging her behind him with a trail of laughter being left behind every second.

* * *

Later on that night. They had burgers that they had packed from home because to be honest it wasn't worth trying to catch those fish. They'd be lucky if they caught just one they are all that bad at it. So burgers it was.

Stef and Brandon had worked together and started the fire.

In the middle of their dinner. Ivy got up and decided to go the toliet. She didn't have anyone accomany her, she insisted she was older enough to 'pee with out supervision' so she took the big torch and set off on her way.

Ivy didn't get scared at the night times in the woods. She loved it. The stars, the noises. It was lovely. Using the toliet in the dark was a downfall but still. Lovely. After using the toliet she began her trail back. She pointed the torch down to her feet as she walked the steps she took as she was humming to some tune. Trying to entertain herself as she took her walk back.

Ivy turned a corner and held her torch back up. She screamed ever so loudly.

As did Caleb.

They screamed for a while. They stopped and stared in silence, Caleb then burst out into laughter "I thought it was you when you past but I didn't expect you to scream"

"You ass!" Ivy slapped his arm as he continued to laugh "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I told you! I come here sometimes on weekends"

"No no. You never said you come here"

Caleb shrugged "You never asked. Besides you never said you came here"

" _You_ never asked"

"Then we're both as bad as each other" Caleb looked around and looked back at her with his eyebrow raised "What site number are you?"

"Five. Why?"

"I'm four"

"Great" Ivy scoffed.

"I think you did it on purpose" He dryly teased as they began to walk.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I didn't even know you were here or I didn't change the site"

"Change?"

"Yeah we're usually further down" Ivy's setence then come to a sharp stop, as did her walked. Caleb stopped and turned to her "What now, _princess_?"

"Would you stop calling me that" Ivy groaned, she then carried on walking "I think I know why we changed sites"

"I'm not following"

"Well keep on doing so and you'll soon catch on" Ivy ordered as she marched on in front of him.

"Nice walking boots. Very butch"

Ivy stopped and turned to him "No-one will find your body if you carry on"

Caleb hitched a laugh and lightly pushed her forward to get her walking again.

Ivy walked back in to see Stef stood at her feet "Was that you screaming"

"Yeah. Yeah it was cause someone scared the crap out of me and that's not even the best part, look who it was" Ivy stepped aside to show Caleb. Ivy watched the look on Stef's face as she tried to act surprised. She terrible at these sort of things so Ivy found it rather entertaining in seeing her attempt it.

"Oh...Caleb! What a surprise"

"No it's not. I told you I was coming here"

Ivy covered her mouth to try and hide her amused smile as she watched Stef's face drop. Ivy dropped her hand and rubbed her lips together. Lena clapped her hands together to break the silence "Caleb have you ate yet?"

"Naw, just gonna have a sandwich, was counting on catching fish but...I suck at it as it turns out" he said with a laugh.

"Well we've got plenty spare"

"I wouldn't wanna intrude"

"Stop acting like a gentlemen it doesn't suit you, just eat the food" Ivy muttered to him as she then nodded over to the sizzling burgers. Caleb smirked at her and walked over to the food, taking a seat next to Mariana and Callie who couldn't help but gaze at the beautiful creature that sat before them.

Ivy walked over to Stef and ran the palm of her hand down her mouth, she cleared her thoat and put her hands on her hips, she stared at her and raised her eyebrows at her.

"Mother...why did you set this up?"

"I didn't"

"Mom"

"I didn-"

"Mom...are you trying to play cupid with me and Caleb?" she said in a shocked tone with a grossed out look on her face.

Stef looked at Caleb and then back at Ivy "Maybe...a little"

"Why? I don't like him like that. I barely like him in general, I can only just tolerate him"

Stef laughed and rubbed Ivy's back "Honey. You're lying to herself" she laughed.

Ivy rolled her eyes and sighed "And you are kidding yourself"

"Alright" Stef laughed "But we're here now. You do like his company whether it's platonic or not"

"It's platonic" she fought back.

"Alright. It's platonic. Anyway just go with it" Stef kissed Ivy's cheek and then lightly slapped her butt and whispered "Go keep him company so Mariana and Callie consider dumping their boyfriends for him"

Ivy rolled her eyes and walked over to him, she sat beside him on the lod. Caleb looked to her and gave her a nudge "Gonna be a fun weekend then"

"So you haven't got a _friend_ with you this weekend?"

"Other than you? Nah?"

Ivy raised an eyebrow "Oh is that what we are? Friends?"

Caleb shrugged and laughed "Sorry to break it to you"

Caleb looked back down at his food and took a bite. Ivy rubbed her forehead as a small smile appeared on her face.

* * *

 **The camping trip is off the an interesting start! Did anyone guess that this was going to happen and Stef is playing cupid! Do you think it'll work?**

 **Ivy is building bridges and its about time!**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please leave reviews below!**


	12. Campfire Flames

At first, Ivy felt awkward. Not with Caleb. But just because he was here. Knowing that Stef had practically set this up, she felt like all eyes were on her. On them _both_ to be more precise. She just kept drinking her beer. Which was fine with everyone, she was with her family and if they think she was having too many. They'd cut her off. But she was on a right path and she knew how to control it.

Everyone was laughing and joking round the fire, the whole family seemed to have taken a real shine to Caleb. Jesus looked at him as if he was some sort of god. And as much as he annoyed her sometimes, he was even making a better impression on her than he usually does. But how long that'll last she's not too sure. Ivy took a seat back down to Caleb and passed him a beer as he listened to Brandon playing on the guitar.

"Thanks" he whispered.

"You don't have to whisper" Ivy laughed "The little show off has been playing non stop" she teased.

Brandon scrunched his face up and stuck his tongue out at her "Alright smarty pants. Why don't you let out your pipes?"

Caleb raised a brow and looked at her " _You_ can sing?"

"Your surprised tone wounds me"

"She can sing alright" Mariana praised. Caleb looked around at everyone else just nodded at him. Caleb looked back at her "Prove it then"

There was a laughter and an unison noise of _'Ooooo'_

Ivy ran her tongue across her bottom lip and raised her eyebrows "You want me to prove it"

Caleb nodded with a smug smile on his face. He knew what she was like. He knew that she wouldn't back down to it. Ivy rubbed her lips and looked back to Brandon, she nodded at him "Go on then"

They all grinned like chesire cats.

"Song?"

"How bout a dance, remember?"

"From Bonnie and Clyde. Yeah I remember. I think we all do from you blasting out the soundtrack" Brandon slyly digged with a little laugh and smirk on his face. Ivy rolled her eyes, she cleared her throat and waited as Brandon to start as the guitar began to stum. With a confident little smirk on her face, she opened her mouth and soon began to sing as her start came in.

 _"How bout a dance, what do you say?...I got some moves that I'd love to show ya. Let's find a spot and dance the night...away"_ Caleb's eyes widened as he looked at her, he never thought that kind of voice would escape her. She had the most beautiful voice. Coming from someone who was always pissed at him, he never imagined he'd ever hear her voice sound so soft.

As Caleb watched her sing, Stef nudged Lena and subtly pointed to Caleb, muttering under her breath "Look at him. The way he's looking at her"

Lena instantly saw what Stef had been banging on about for a couple of days now. He was utterly captivated by her. _Mesmerized_ even. A small smile lingered on his face, and he thought he was being subtle, he was _nothing_ of the sort.

 _"You'll lose the blues and you may lose..."_ Ivy looked at Caleb as she noticed his eyes burning a hole in her head _"Your heart"_

Her eyes lingered on him a moment or two longer and then looked away as Brandon finished the song with his guitar to have to the family let out a cheer and clap. Caleb looked at her with a very impressed look on his face and clapped as he stared to her "Well. You certainly just proved me wrong"

"I'm shocked you even get surprised when I do that" Ivy laid her sarcasm on thick as she took a swig of her beer.

"How about you?"

"Oh I'm the full works" He joked dryly "Dance. Sing. You name it"

"Seriously?"

Caleb nodded. He sounded like he was joking yet he was serious. He was _so_ confusing.

"Why don't you prove it?"

"Oh that's because I'm trying to do the whole I'm mysterious thing, I think it's working"

"I don't think it is"

Caleb smirked and scrunched his nose up and he said in a high pitched tone "It is a little bit. Admit it, you find it pretty hot"

Ivy let out a deep breath "I'm gonna grab more food" she muttered as she stood up and walked over to the leftovers. Caleb laughed and shook his head as he looked down at his bottle of beer. Jesus walked over to Ivy and bumped hips with her as he went up for his third burger.

"Pig" Ivy muttered as she looked to him scoffing it down his mouth.

Jesus smiled at her with pieces of bread and beef in his mouth "Ew, Jesus" Ivy cringed with a small laugh as she slapped his shoulder "Gross"

"You love it" he mumbled through his chewing "That's not all you love"

"Stop it" Ivy snapped.

Jesus rolled his eyes "Come on. It's obvious. You look at him like you hate it which means you clearly like him"

Ivy furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head "How does that work?"

Jesus laughed and shrugged "Happened with me and Emma. Kind of. Happened with Lottie and Milo. With Mariana and Mat...Brandon and Lou-"

"Okay thank you I got it" Ivy sighed, scratching her forehead "It was different. You guys all had an attraction"

"You're not attracted to him? I think even moms are attracted to him"

Ivy let out a muffled laugh and nodded "Well I'm sure that'll add to his ego"

Jesus threw his arm over her shoulder and held her close, taking another bite out of the burger he once again spoke to her with his mouth full "You're beautiful. You can't lock herself out of it forever. There's no shame in it" Jesus ruffled her hair and left her alone to think. And she did. But not about Caleb. Not about what he just said.

* * *

 _"Man, we haven't been in here since the summer before you went away" Nate said as he swung around a tree._

 _"You still act like the age we were though" Ivy teased._

 _Nate laughed and raised his eyebrows at her "Oh yeah?"_

 _"Yeah you do" she laughed. Nate smirked and chased after her through the trees. Making her laugh hysterically as she ran. Nate finally grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her waist, he picked her off her feet and spun her around. Pressing her back against the tree. Nate clashed his lips against hers, picked her up and having her legs wrap around his waist. Ivy ran her hand through the back of his head and let out a soft moan as she pulled away "You are the only boy I have ever made out with here and I'd like that to carry on"_

 _"Only if I'll be the last"_

 _"Oh that's a guarantee" she laughed as she brought her lips back to him. Nate's hands gripped onto her waist._

 _Jesus saw them from a far, he laughed and picked up a pine cone. Launching and hitting Nate on the back of the head "Hey love doves. You gonna help set up or what?"_

 _"Jesus can you not do it yourself?!"_

 _"Nah" he laughed "I'll tell moms you both are having a bit of nookie out here if you don't come on"_

 _Ivy rolled her eyes and patted Nate's shoulders "He would do, come on" Nate sighed and put Ivy back down on the ground. Ivy took hold of Nate's hand and pulled him back to camp where everyone was to help set up._

 _Stef looked up "Oh nice of you to join us"_

 _"Did we have a choice"_

 _"Watch it you" Stef dryly joked, making fists with both her hands she held them up "Else you'll get it"_

 _"Bring on mother!" Ivy roared as she ran towards her and leaped into her mothers arms, Stef spinning her around and then putting her down and play fought with her. Lena walked back from setting up their tent to see the two women play fighting and getting each other in head locks. With an amused grin on her face, Lena rolled her eyes and laughed "Honestly, you're as bad as the kids"_

 _Stef looked up at Lena and stood still, with Ivy in a head lock "She started it"_

 _Ivy wrapped her arm around Stef's waist and lifted her up, breaking out of the headlock she said with a breathless smile "No. She started it"_

 _"Baby quit beating up your mom and come help me" Nate called with an amused smirk. Ivy laughed and patted Stef on the back as Stef said watching Ivy walk away "Hold on she didn't beat ME up"_

 _Ivy laughed and walked over to Nate, giving into helping him. Nate just spent his time laying kisses on her neck and shoulders as she looked at the tent set up stuff._

 _"I thought you wanted help"_

 _"I do. I do" He laughed._

 _They set up the tent. Ivy hoped into it to test it all out "Hm. It's nice" Nate then came in with her, he hovered over her "It's a tent"_

 _"Well as nice as tents go this one is nice, okay?" Ivy bluntly answered back to his teasing remark as she ran her fingers through his hair, then pulled his head down to hers as their lips clashed together._

 _"I love you" he whispered with a small smile as he looked at her._

 _"And I'll always love you" she whispered back, then kissing him again._

* * *

The night grew later, everyone grew more and more tired.

Ivy and Caleb found themselves now sat alone with each other at the campfire. Everyone else turned in one by one. Sat beside each other, Ivy poked the logs around on the fire with her stick and sighed. She looked behind her to her mothers tent and said as she turned back "Well, I think my mom has well and truly set us up"

Caleb laughed and looked at the closed tent where Stef and Lena were resting. He turned back and nodded "I guess so" there was then a pause. Caleb's eyebrows pinched together and then he laughed "What does she think is going to happen?"

"I have no idea but whatever she is thinking I can guarantee it will not"

Caleb looked at her and raised his eyebrows "It won't, huh?"

"No" Ivy shook her head and looked at him "Like you'd want that either" she looked back to the fire.

"Hey I might" Caleb muttered, taking Ivy completely by surprise. She raised an eyebrow and looked back to him "You do?" she said bluntly, not being convinced. Caleb shrugged and clapped his hands together "Y'know Ivy, you're good to be around"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah you're funny from being so sarcastic and blunt. You're wise beyond your years and let's face it, you're not too bad to look at either"

"You're being nice to me, what is going on?"

"Hey! I'm always nice to you. It's you who's mean to me"

Ivy rolled her eyes and looked back to the fire "I mean. It's a turn on but still" he joked. Which got a laugh out of her. A genuine, briefly loud laugh. She don't know where it came from, she hadn't let out a laugh like that in a long time. Caleb raised his eyebrows "Wow. There's a sound I've never heard from you before, I didn't know you were capable"

"Shut up" she shook her head, a smile still lingering on her face.

"You should let out your smile and laugh more often"

"Is that right?"

"Yeah" he nodded "Both are pretty beautiful"

Ivy looked at him, she smirked and whispered her sarcasm "Hold on now, Caleb, I might end up falling in love with you if you carry on"

"Would that be so terrible?" Caleb wasn't sure if it was the drink in him, but they say a drunk mind speaks a sober heart. Or in his case, two bottles of beer speaks a sober heart. Ivy raised her eyebrows and leaned her head in by a small centimeter and whispered

"You're awfully pushy, you know?"

"I like to think of myself as optimistic" Caleb shrugged, he stared at her lips for a brief moment, he cleared his throat and then looked down at his bottle, he gulped heavily and grumbled "You think I'm a jackass"

"I do" Ivy nodded, she licked her bottom lip and then sighed "But I'm also a jackass so what can you do?"

"Well there's no denying that" Caleb answered as he looked over at her and saw she was cold. He rolled his eyes and took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders "Can't have you goin' all Jack Dawson on me now can we?"

"I think you're just trying to win me over"

"All for sex" Caleb dryly joked as he took a sip of his beer. Which got another small laugh out of her.

"What're they talking about?" Lena whispered to Stef, who had her ear to the tent wall in aid to hear her daughter's conversation "I think he just gave her his coat" she whispered back, giving Lena an excited slap on the arm.

Stef then subtly and quietly unzipped the tent door ever so slightly just to get a peek. Granted she could only see their backs but still.

"He's moved in closer" she whispered.

Ivy ran her fingers through her hair and sighed "Last time I came here, we were a real strong family unit...you know?"

"Hasn't this time round brought her guys closer together?"

Ivy nodded and raised her eyebrows as she stared at the fire "Yeah it has. Still I can't help but feel like I'm on my personal level of probation. Especially with the kids"

"Probably just scared" Caleb shrugged "Being scared for you"

"I'm tired of people being scared for me" Ivy sighed and shook her head softly. She then looked at him and admitted "Sounds weird but you're actually the only person who has treated me like an actual human being these past few weeks"

"They treat you like they do because you were broken, and that is their methods as they care for you in the family element. I treat you like an actual human being because you didn't sugarcoat to me that-that is how you wanted to be treated because you didn't feel the need to protect me, so as my caring for you I treated you like you truly wished. Cause I care for you in a different way"

"And what way is that?"

Caleb laughed "I'm still trying to figure that out"

Stef kept her eyes on them and whispered back to Lena "They're staring at each other"

"I know" Stef looked to Lena who had unzipped from the other side was having her own look.

Ivy and Caleb's eyes fell to each other's lips. Then they don't know what had come over them, being alone in front of the campfire. All the sexual tension between them that undeniable. They tried to deny it within themselves but couldn't with anyone else. Caleb dropped his beer as his hand flew to her cheek as their lips clashed together, causing Stef and Lena to let out loud gasp.

Ivy's hands gripped onto his shirt to pull him closer as Caleb's hands stayed on her face. Their tongues brushed together. She liked it. She liked kissing him. But also she felt _guilty_ and with that feeling, she pushed him back. They said nothing, Ivy rested her hand on her forehead as she damned herself, feeling so bad even though she wasn't doing anything wrong. Caleb remained silent. He just looked at her, taking a heavy gulp he went to break their silence "Ivy-"

"You better get going, right? Don't wanna be waking people up at stupid o'clock" she spoke in her normal tone, making him think that she was absolutely fine.

It was the worse excuse she had ever said in order to get someone to leave. Caleb knew that. But he also went along with it. Because frankly, he had no idea what had really just happened

With a small laugh he slapped his hands on his thighs "Yeah. Yeah, who'd want that right?"

"No-one" Ivy said with a small, awkward laugh as Caleb stood up. He ran his fingers through his hair and nodded as he looked down at her "Well...I'll...I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure" Ivy shrugged "Tomorrow"

Caleb raised his eyebrows as he gave her a tight smile. As he walked away, Ivy heard him murmur the song Maria from West Side Story except replaced Maria with Ivy.

 _"Ivy. I just kissed a girl named Ivy. And suddenly I found how wonderful a sound can be"_ he was doing it purely to make her feel less awkward. To let her see what an absolute idiot he is on that he didn't feel bad about what they had just done.

Ivy rolled her eyes "You're an idiot"

"An idiot that can sing though, right?"

There was a moment or two of silence. Ivy shrugged "You're alright" she heard him chuckle and then she didn't hear him at all. Or see him.

Once he was out of sight, Ivy sighed deeply letting out a groan along with it as she dropped her head into her heads and shook it "What the hell was that?" she whispered to herself, as if she was telling herself off or something. Ivy looked up at the stars "I hope you didn't see that" she whispered "I know you'd be pissed since I said you'd be the only one I'd kiss here" she laid her head into her hands again "I didn't even mean for that...ugh" she groaned.

Ivy picked up her coffee and threw it over the fire, she stood up and walked over to her tent. Stef watched her do so and then pulled back "Well. I didn't think that would actually happen"

Lena frowned "She sounded upset though aswell. With herself"

"She thinks Nate is upset with her that's why" Stef sighed as they lay back down in their double sleeping bag.

"You going to talk to her?"

"Then she'd know we were spying"

"Stef" Lena laughed "You can't be scared of Ivy"

"Have you _seen_ her when she gets pissed?"

"Yeah. She's just like you so I can handle it" Lena laughed, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Stef's putting her hand on her waist and dragging Stef's body closer to hers, pressing against each other "Goodnight my love" Lena whispered "We'll decide what to do in the morning"

"Goodnight, baby" Stef whispered back as her eyes then dropped.

Whilst Ivy and Caleb. Although in separate tents. Lay there wide awake. Not being able to get that kiss out of their head. Both confused by what it meant.

* * *

 **They kissed! Did you guys see that coming? Or you glad it happened and what do you think Stef and Lena should do?**

 **Please leave reviews below.**


	13. Wake Up Call

The next morning. Jesus got up and went to the toilets. Already there was Caleb. Jesus grinned and walked over to him "Caleb, hey"

"Oh hey, man" Caleb greeted, giving the young man a friendly hand shake, he cleared his throat "How's it going?"

"Good. Good. Just had breakfast...well most of us have anyway"

Caleb raised his eyebrows "Most?"

Jesus shrugged and said as he rolled his eyes "Ivy is still in bed. Moms tent is next to hers and they said they could hear her tossing and turning a lot last night. Probably having something on her mind"

Caleb gulped heavily and nodded, trying not to think about it but couldn't help but see flashes of their kiss from last night go through his head, he came back down to earth as Jesus then said with a frown on his face "Probably thinking about Nate, seen as though the last time she was here was with him"

When Jesus looked down at the ground, Caleb shut his eyes and rubbed his lips together hard. Feeling like an idiot. Like, Ivy, he feels like he has been disrespectful. The kiss was unexpected 100% and they did nothing wrong, but still it did now feel wrong since she and Nate would still be together and possible married with a child if he hadn't of been killed. Knowing that they 'broke up' by one of them dying made it harder to deal with, if Nate was some sort of dick who left her then neither of them would feel so bad. But he wasn't. Nate was far from that guy, he was the guy who worshiped the ground Ivy walked on, who protected her and literally laid down his life for her. And although Caleb had never met him, he was thankful to Nate and was...well...just _some guy_ compared to him. Ivy still has Nate on a pedestal. And the last thing Caleb wants to go is come across as the guy who did his best to knock him off.

An idea then sprung to Caleb's mind "Hey. Ivy's tent is the one nearest the lake, right?"

"Yeah...why?"

A mischievous smirk came to his head, he slapped Jesus's chest "Come on"

Jesus followed Caleb into camp. Stef and Lena looked to the two boys as they saw them come through in the corner of their eyes.

"Morning, Caleb" Lena smiled brightly.

"Morning ladies. Ivy still asleep?"

Lena nodded with a laugh "Yep"

Stef raised her eyebrows at him "Yeah she didn't get much sleep last night" speaking in a tone that was clearly insinuating something. Caleb knew it but still played dumb "Really?"

"Any ideas what that could've been about?"

Caleb felt the eyes of the whole family slowly turn on him. The best way to get out of this hot seat was to do what he came into the Foster's camp to do. Caleb clapped his hands together "Well, let's wake her up shall we" Caleb turned around and opened her tent.

"Caleb"

Caleb turned to Stef, Stef raised an eyebrow and asked "Do you have a death wish?"

"No?"

"Would you like one? Cause you'll get it by doing that"

Caleb laughed and shook his head "Don't worry. Just watch"

The whole family gathered together as their jaws dropped by what he was doing. Caleb began to pull out Ivy's bed which she was still sound asleep on.

"Oh my god" Mariana whispered.

"Someone should stop this" Brandon whispered in a laugh.

"I don't know" Stef shrugged "Kind of want to see how far it can go before she wakes up and kills him"

* * *

Stef brought over a cup of coffee to Caleb as he looked over at the lake "Thanks, doll"

"Not a problem...how long has it been?"

Caleb looked down at his watch "Ten minutes"

Stef nodded and then looked at him "I think it's time"

"Yeah. Me too" Caleb then turned around to the family and whistled them over. Within a split second they were all surrounded in a group. The kids were allowed their phones. But only to record this. Stef nudged Caleb "You do the honors"

"I'd love to" Caleb passed Stef his cup of coffee. He rubbed the palm of his hands together and then cupped them to his mouth in order to make his voice more booming. He took in a deep breath and then yelled ever so loudly "Ivy wake up sleepy head we got a big breakfast!"

Ivy shot up in her bed and looked over to the family. As she grew more and more awake, her eyebrows pinched together as she pointed to them with barely any energy "Hey...how did you guys end up over there" Ivy then felt bed not be...well flat on the floor. Ivy looked around and realized...that she was lay in her bed...in the middle of the god damn lake. She let out a shocked scream which made the whole family laugh. She looked over to Caleb "You did this didn't you!"

"Guilty" Caleb shrugged as Stef handed his cup of coffee back to him "Should've woken up earlier!"

"Moms! You let him?"

"We couldn't help it" Lena laughed.

"We thought you'd have woken up before he got you in the lake" Stef said in a loud chuckle. Ivy rolled her eyes ad laid her head in her hands. She shot her head back up and looked to Caleb "You, get me out now"

The kids were practically crying with laughter, they could hardly even see Ivy through their watery eyes. Stef patted Caleb on the back "You should go get her"

"Alright" Caleb chuckled. He ran down the little pier, she was within reaching distance, all he had to do was reach out his hand and pulled her over. But then that would be easy. Caleb stood at the end of the pier and stared down at Ivy, she read him like a book, slowly shaking her head "Don't you dare"

Caleb laughed and took a step back only to run forward and jump on the mattress, causing her to fly up and crash down into the water. Only to hear the laughter from her family, she could tell that they were trying not to laugh but it was too hard. Caleb lay on the damp bed and looked over to her as she floated in the water and muttered "Morning _princess_ "

Ivy hitched her breath in a laugh and bit her lip, she ducked under the water, Caleb losing sight of her and family coming to a nervous silence. With mumbles of laughs escaping her lips. Caleb gulped heavily and he searched for her. The all of a sudden. The bed tipped over "Whoa!" Caleb yelled as he was tipped into the lake

"Oh!" The family all said in unison, then letting out more laughs.

Ivy came back up to the surface to see him now just as drenched as she was, Ivy smirked and mocked "Morning _cupcake_ "

Caleb pinched his nose to get rid of the water and nodded "Alright, I deserved that"

"Yes. You did" Ivy laughed, giving him a little splash.

Caleb wasn't quite used to hearing her laugh yet, but he liked it. Seeing this different side to her was wonderfully weird. Ivy swam over to the family and pulled herself up. With her hands on her hips she stared at them all "Who get's a hug first" Ivy said as she held her arms out.

"No way!" Mariana screamed as she ran away.

Ivy raised her eyebrows and looked to Jesus, Jesus held his hand up "For the first time I'll pass" he then also ran away.

She looked to Callie, Brandon and Jude who said nothing for a moment and then ran in different directions. Ivy looked to her mothers, she didn't go for just one of them, she went for both. Before they even got away she jumped on them and wrapped her arms around them.

"Big love!" she teased as she squeezed them tightly. Lena and Stef let out a laugh and just accepted it, they wrapped her arms around her and lifted her up.

Caleb couldn't help but smile as he looked at them as he got out of the water. Seeing how close she was with her moms considering she had given them hell for about a year now, it was just nice to see them all so... _happy_.

Mariana and Callie couldn't help but look at Caleb's now _wet_ white t-shirt. Being now completely see through, letting them see his abs in all their glory.

"Okay...I know I have a boyfriend and I love Mat to death but"

"But oh wow?"

Mariana slowly nodded " _Oh wow_ "

Ivy pulled away from Stef and Lena and laughed as she looked at their now damp clothing. Stef and Lena looked at each other.

"Well I think it's a good look" Stef muttered with a laugh as she looked down at her wife's clothes that stuck to her body only to reveal her figure even more. The was to Stef, so it wasn't actually too bad for them both.

* * *

Later on in the afternoon, everyone was doing their own thing. Caleb went back to his camp to do whatever it was that Caleb had planned to do on the weekend before he had the surprise of the Foster's being his neighbors. Ivy was sat in a deck chair, looking out to the lake and reading a book whilst Jesus, Mariana and Jude played about in the lake, Callie and Brandon sit by the fire and play cards.

"You gonna come with me?" Stef asked Lena as they both looked at Ivy. Lena turned her head and looked at Stef with a small smile on her face "This is what you're best at honey, when it comes to Ivy, you're who she likes to confide in"

Stef let out a deep breath and let out a gentle small smile, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Lena's lips "I love you"

"I love you too, now go on, work your magic and you can tell me all about it when you get back"

Stef nodded and patted Lena's back as she walked over to Ivy. When she reached her, she rested her hand on the back of the chair and squeezed the top of Ivy's head with her other hand. Ivy put her book down and looked up "Hey"

"I was gonna go for a walk, care to join me?"

Ivy knew that meant _I want to talk to you_ plus she could do with a walk and clear her head. And going for a walk with her mom was just what she needed. They barely had a chance to _really_ bond back to how they were yet and this was the best chance. She missed Stef. She missed her mom _and_ her best friend.

Ivy stood up and slid her hand into Stef's "I'd love that"

Stef smiled and brought Ivy close to her "Let's go then, baby"

* * *

 **Shorter, filler chapter just to give you guys a little something!**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and found it rather amusing regarding the bed :)**

 **Get ready for the first big Stef and Ivy heart to heart for this story, bigger than the one from the other chapter, be prepared ;)**

 **Please leave reviews below.**


	14. Hike to Heart

Stef and Ivy hiked all the way up the hill, past the campsite they usually stay up. They went to their usual spot. Whenever they came here, even before she was taken away from Kath they went for little walks together to just spend some time together. It was a tradition. One that Stef didn't think she'd get this time around. Ivy stretched her arms over her head as she looked at the view "God I wish we could live here sometimes"

"You used to ask me to" Stef said with a laugh as she sat down on the rock. Ivy put her hands on her hips and turned around to look at Stef "I did?"

"Yeah, the first time was the first time Mike and I brought you when you were five just before I got pregnant with Brandon you asked if we could move here and be like the Swiss Robinson family and live in a tree" Ivy let out an embarrassed laugh as she rubbed her forehead, Stef then went on "Yeah and the other was when you were fourteen and you looked at me and said _we should just live here, we'll be so far away that-"_

" _We will always be together_...I actually remember that one" Ivy said with a small smile. Stef rubbed her lips together and patted on the rock "Come on, babe" she whispered. Ivy sat down on the rock, beside Stef and the two of them both looked out to the view. Ivy hitched a laugh through her nose and raised her eyebrows as she said in a light tone "Alright. So what is it?"

"What?" Stef asked as she looked to Ivy.

Ivy looked into Stef's eyes "You want to tell me something right?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The walk"

"We always used to do this"

Ivy shrugged "Alright, alright...if you're sure that's all this was then fine" Ivy accepted. Also making it clear that she wasn't buying it. And Stef knew that was what Ivy was implying, so she may as well just get on with it now "Okay find there is something"

"What a shocker" Ivy said with a laugh, she looked to Stef "What is it, mom?"

Stef stared her daughter in the eyes, she took a heavy gulp and said with her eyebrows slightly raised "Last night...you and Caleb"

Ivy face dropped, she didn't think it'd have anything to do with that. Ivy looked down at feet as they tapped on the rough ground "You saw?"

"Yeah, yeah I saw"

"Were you spying?" Ivy said in a quiet snap followed by a moment or two of silence.

"A little. We didn't mean to we just heard you guys talking and-"

"We? Mama saw too?"

"Yeah"

"Oh god" Ivy cringed as she laid her head in her hands.

"Sorry, honey, we couldn't help it"

Ivy nodded as she lifted her head up and rubbed the palm of her hands together. She stayed silent. Stef ran her tongue across her bottom lip as she tried to gather her words together "You shooed him off pretty quickly"

"Are you surprised?"

Stef looked back over to the view and shook her head as she muttered "I guess not...you feel guilty. After he left I just thought you were talking to yourself but you weren't, you were talking to Nate"

Ivy sighed and ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged "I felt..."

"What?"

"I dunno-ashamed"

Stef then looked back to Ivy as her eyebrows pinched together "Ashamed? Honey, you shouldn't feel ashamed for having feelings for someone else-"

"I don't have feelings for him"

"Oh so you just go around kissing guys that you feel nothing for? Please, Ivy, you and I both know that's not who you are...you feel _something_ for him"

Ivy rubbed her eyelids and groaned "I don't know what I feel, I'm confused. All I feel is-"

"Is guilt. But you shouldn't"

"I promised Nate that this place would be always for us. Not only have I spent time with Caleb over the fucking fire I also kissed him. That's betrayal"

"That's not betrayal. First of all you did _not_ come here with Caleb. You kissed him yes. But Ivy baby you cannot be scared on when to connect with someone because it may or may not be a place you went to with Nate"

Ivy knew that Stef was making sense, but it was hard for her. It was hard for her to not see this as a betrayal because quite frankly she still feels like she and Nate are still as one. Which, sadly, is no longer true. But Ivy's head was in a mess even before Caleb became part of her life. If anything it'd gotten even worse. But at least she wasn't shutting herself down like she had been doing for the past year.

A tear ran down Ivy's cheek which only made her sigh at the fact that she was getting emotional about this. Stef put her arm around Ivy and brought her closer to her "My love don't cry, don't cry, you've done nothing wrong"

"I feel like he's angry" she broke in a cry.

"Hey, hey now look at me"

Ivy obeyed and stared at Stef, Stef put her hand on Ivy's cheek to keep her attention on her "Nate would never _ever_ be angry with you, you kissed a guy who is a good guy, Nate would want you to move on and I'm sure he'd approve of a guy like Caleb"

"I don't want to be with Caleb which is why I'm beating myself up about this because I always thought the next time I'd kiss a guy it would be because I liked them and I was ready to move on from Nate with them" Ivy moved her face away from Stef's hold and looked back down at the ground.

"Okay, you know what you should do?"

"What?"

Stef didn't believe what she as about to say very much, but if it helped Ivy sort her head out, she'd still say it as piece of motherly advice "You should see kissing Caleb like kissing Milo. It was just a friendly kiss"

"I've never made out with Milo...that I know of"

Stef laughed "Well I'm glad to hear about that. I love Milo but with his reputation"

"Caleb has a reputation as well" Ivy said in a soft, dry tone.

Stef raised an eyebrow "He does?"

"Well a little. He brings his _friends_ here the majority of the time. He's also sleeping with the receptionist at the station"

"Nicole?"

"Mm-hm. Milo told Lottie who told me. So mom he isn't as perfect as you think"

Stef rubbed her lips together and shrugged "But Milo found Lottie again, and she changed everything"

Ivy remained quiet and twisted the ring on her finger, the ring that she found of Nate's in her drawer right after he died. Stef looked down at her and then looked back to Ivy, who just had her sights set forward "You can hold onto _him_ in your heart forever...but that doesn't mean you should shut out your heart to anyone who you could open up to again, whether Caleb is just a friend and you made a little mistake or someone totally different. It still applies"

"Yeah I know" Ivy muttered as more tears dropped to the floor, lightly nodding "It's just. It's so hard you know...it's so _freaking_ hard to forget"

"You don't have to forget in order to move on"

"Then what do I do?"

"Cope"

"I thought I was" Ivy said with a small laugh.

"No, no you have been coping, but you've not been coping _well,_ that's the difference, you cope with your loss but you try and do it alone, even shutting out any chance of finding someone new. I've seen many guys try to talk to you and you don't even let yourself consider it"

She didn't even try to deny anything because it was in fact true. Whether they were at a coffee shop or when they went to parties even, there were always guys coming over to her and seeing if they could buy her a drink. Nice enough guys, ones that any single girl of Ivy's age would love to take them up on. But every time, she politely declined. Like Stef said, she wouldn't even let herself consider it.

Stef brought Ivy back into her hold, resting her head on Stef's shoulders, Ivy closed her eyes and let out a deep breath through her nose. Stef softly rubbed Ivy's arm and said whispered "Look, you don't have to do anything rash, just take it easy stay casual with Caleb nothing has to happen...you just-"

"I know, mom, I know what you're tryna say"

Stef stroked Ivy's hair and placed a kiss on the top of her head, she let out a deep breath and continued to rub her daughters arm, with her eyes closed. She then heard Ivy mumbled "I love you, mom, y'know that right? I feel like I don't say it often enough these days"

Steve's face formed a warm smile, she softly whispered "I know baby, I know, I love you too"

"We've been through a lot huh?" Ivy muttered as their fingers entwined. Stef mumbled a small laugh "Yes we have"

"You heard off Kath?" Ivy asked.

"No, I haven't. Don't want to either. She tried getting in contact with Grams but she's refused all calls"

"Good"

"I take it she hasn't with you"

"I'd tell you if she did. No, to be honest I don't think she has the guts" Ivy rolled her eyes "But it doesn't matter, does it? I got you. Always had you for the whole twenty two years of my life"

Steve smiled and hugged her tightly and dryly teased "Who's your mommy?"

Ivy muttered a laugh and hugged her back just as tight "Always you, wasn't it"

* * *

Ivy and Stef came back down a little while later. Lena saw them stop just at the entrance of the camp, exchanging a few more words of which Lena couldn't hear and then tightly embraced. Which brought a smile and a tear to Lena's face.

Stef walked ahead of Ivy, back over to her wife. Ivy went to follow but then felt her hand be grabbed. She turned and saw Caleb gave her a flashy smile, he let go of her hand now that he had her attention "Hey, lover" he teased.

"Stop that" Ivy muttered as she tried to keep her laugh underneath.

Caleb crossed his arms and nodded for her to follow him, away from the families beady eyes. The kids didn't know about the kiss. Just Lena and Stef. Which Ivy would like to keep that way.

"Look. Last night. You seemed a little off"

"Could've been the fact your lips were on mine and your beard was scratching my face"

Caleb tilted his head at her "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it"

"I didn't"

"Sure you did. I'm a good kisser"

"Been told?"

"On several occasions, yes"

Ivy once again rolled his eyes at his ego. But it was mostly put on just to get a kick out of annoying her. Caleb crossed his arms "Why're you being so frosty. You're a good kisser too and you know it"

"I do not"

She was lying. She knew.

They remained silent for a moment. Caleb rubbed his lips together and nodded "Okay. In all seriousness, you don't have to worry about it happening again alright? It was a moment of madness, believe or not I don't see you in that way"

"Oh? So what other reason did you have for kissing me"

"Whoa whoa I don't believe I kissed you I believe you kissed me"

"Bullshit" Ivy said with a laugh.

"Regardless" Caleb laughed breathlessly "It's behind us. We got it out of the way. I mean, it was inevitable that you'd try and kiss me-"

"You're so-"

"Never the less" Caleb smirked as he held his hand up "We can go back to being friends"

"Using that term loosely" Ivy muttered as she stared at him. Not really meaning it. But being like this was part of her charm that attracted him. Caleb briefly raised his eyebrows at her and then held his hand out for her to shake. Ivy stared down at his hand and then slapped hers into it, gripping onto his hand and loosely shaking it.

Caleb then slid his hands in his pockets stared at her as she looked down at her shoes, letting out the loving smile he wanted to show before, quickly wiping it away as she looked back up to him. Ivy looked over to her family and then back at him, she licked her bottom lip as she crossed her arms and motioned her head over to the family "I better get back"

"Yeah" Caleb said in a whisper softly as he nodded "Go on, leave me in peace"

"My pleasure" Ivy raised her eyebrows at her and then walked away. Caleb's eyes watched her do so. He stared at her again, watching her go over to her family and smiling. Laughing. Caleb was well aware that he didn't know Ivy back when she was a lively and happy girl, but he made it a fact in his mind that this was how she was over a year ago. This was the family girl that Stef loved so much and spoke about so proudly. This was the girl that the legend of Nate Troit fell in love with back when he was twelve years old.

And he didn't understand, why now, after kissing her. Looking at her gave him butterflies in the pit of his stomach. Sure he flirted, sure she thought she was stunning, but he's friends with man women like that, he's _slept_ with women like that. But Ivy, she was certainly different. She was difficult, and he was beginning to realize that he liked difficult. That he liked _her_.

Caleb's eyebrows pinched together, he gulped heavily and looked away from Ivy, trying to figure out what the hell was going on in his head. His face scrunched up "Oh god" he whispered to himself. He then began to walk away, muttering to himself "Those feelings can get right outta here"

* * *

Mariana ran over to Ivy and swooped her arm over her "You're getting on that right?"

"Getting on...what?"

"Caleb"

Ivy let out a loud laugh and shook her head "No, Mari"

"Okay, are you joking? He's totally hot and so-"

"Arrogant?" Ivy raised her eyebrows to her with a small smirk on her face. Mariana pulled a face at her in a way to say _oh come on_ "I think he likes you"

"Believe me he doesn't, and even he did. It'd be tough because I don't like him, in that way"

Mariana hands went to her hips, her eyebrow rose to Ivy. Ivy glanced to her and then looked back at her properly, she let out a muffled laugh, looking down at the floor, she tucked her hair behind her ear and looked up to Mariana "You're very suggestive, has anyone every told you that?"

"Several times, and you know what?"

Ivy ran her fingers through Mariana's hair and raised an eyebrow "What, babe?"

Mariana leaned forward slightly and whispered with a cocky smirk "I'm hardly ever wrong"

Ivy rolled her eyes and dropped her hand back down to her side and just brushed it off "Alright, Mari, I guess you'll have to see won't you"

Mariana sat on the log bench and looked to Ivy, tapping her leg with her foot she asked in a mutter "Are you okay?"

Ivy looked at Mariana, and a part of her felt a little guilty. She hadn't told any of the kids yet that she was leaving the school, she wanted to get this weekend out of the way without any hiccups and then deal with it all later on. Ivy gave a tight smile and nodded "Yeah, yeah I am, why'd you ask?"

"I dunno. You seem a little distracted...like something is bothering you...you seem" Mariana's draw then dropped, she pointed at Ivy.

Ah shit. Her glorious brains caught on.

"You and him did it!"

Well. Not entirely.

Ivy shushed Mariana down quickly, feeling partly mortified to hear her little sister say such a thing. Ivy scratched her forehead and looked around, but she was in clear with everyone else going off and doing their own thing, still she only spoke in a whisper "We did not do...you would hear-I'm not getting into that. No Mari we did not _do it_ but we did" Ivy sighed and rolled her eyes and muttered even quieter "We did kiss"

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, to then get a palm over her mouth from Ivy.

"You cannot do that, no one knows...well apart from moms but that's _only_ because they were spying but still, please"

"Okay" Mariana spoke all muffled, she then leaned forward "Was it nice?"

Ivy shrugged "Yeah, I guess. But it was a one time thing"

Mariana nodded, understanding. But not buying a single damn thing. If she had anything to do it. Her inner cupid was poking out now that she knew there was something to poke at.

* * *

 **Sorry it's took a while!**

 **Mariana is on the case and Caleb is having feelings.**

 **Who'd you think will get Ivy to see what's in front of her first?**


	15. Date?

The weekend was over and it was back to reality for everyone. Ivy had to deal with walking back into that school on Monday and letting her students know that this week will be her last, including the kids. Who still had no idea about it. Ivy kept on telling herself to tell them before school but she didn't have the heart to tell them on the camping trip and then she didn't have the balls to tell them when they got home. She was a little nervous, though she'd deny it if you accused her of being such a thing.

She found herself talking to Caleb more often than not. When they got home they spent the whole night texting. Not exactly flirting, just talking. About anything. Caleb felt like some sort of teenager again, for a twenty five year old man he sure felt a little stupid. Given it was his birthday within the next few days. Caleb realised that his feelings were more than friendly flirting to Ivy now, he was really starting to feel something. Which meant he ended his little no strings attached thing with Nicole the receptionist as soon as he got in work, and Stef was a witness to this.

She was stood by her desk when she saw the young Nicole come over to Caleb's desk where he was sat, and saw her wandering hand that Caleb quickly pushed away and stood up. She didn't hear what he was saying but she saw a lot of head shaking on his behalf and could tell that what he was doing was a firm letting someone down gently. Nicole seemed upset, of course, look at what she was losing. A man who has been described to have been crafted by the hands of God was just telling her that she couldn't have him anymore, that would send any woman into a brief stage of depression. Stef turned her head to him as Nicole then turned away and raised her eyebrows at him. Caleb sighed and then caught eyes with her, he raised an eyebrow "What?"

"Did you just dump her?" Stef said with a smirk.

"We weren't dating"

"Ah, but you were...what do they call it now. Friends with benefits?"

Caleb laughed, due to both amusement and shock "Who told you that?-"

"Don't tell Milo things in future. He told Lottie and Lottie told Ivy who told me"

"Why would she tell you that?" Caleb asked in an awkward chuckle.

"Oh because I was trying to console her after she felt guilty about the two of you kissing"

Caleb suddenly got a lump in his throat, he suddenly became very nervous and his palms began to slightly sweat. He loved this woman in front of him like his own flesh and blood by my god did she put the fear of god himself into him. It was like getting the approval from The Godfather.

"She told you-"

"Well Lena and I saw you" Stef muttered with a mischievous look written across her face. Caleb remained silent due to the shock, with a jaw dropping expression on his face, Stef leaned against the desk and then grew rather serious "Can I ask you something?"

"Erm" Caleb started his dry sentence, then clearing his throat to speak more clearly he nodded "Sure"

Stef nodded her head to Nicole, who was now over at her post and asked "Normally guys don't end something like _that_ unless they've got feelings for someone else"

Caleb looked at her but remained quiet. Stef rubbed her lips and tilted her head to Caleb "Do you have feelings for Ivy?"

Caleb remained silent a little while longer, he looked down at his hands and cleared his throat, he hadn't really admitted it to anyone. Not even himself, fully anyway. But he wasn't a liar. Caleb shrugged and gave a small nod "Stef I...I don't know...maybe?"

Stef's face was blank for a moment, which didn't help with Caleb's nerves. Then Stef cracked a wide smile "That's great!"

"It is?" Caleb said, finally letting out a deep breath of relief along with it.

"Yeah it is. You're exactly the kind of guy she needs. The whole family saw the spark this weekend, I, and not to brag here did see it before hand but still"

"That's great and all that the family agree but you're forgetting the fact that Ivy doesn't feel the same"

"And how do you know that? How does anyone know what that girl is thinking? She holds her cards so close to her chest that she makes it impossible. But there's a spark, Caleb, I don't think she'd be using all her time on you if she didn't feel _something_ "

Caleb shrugged "Perhaps it's just friendship"

"Lottie has been her best friend for ten years and even they don't speak as often as you two do. And also, as far as I know Ivy doesn't go around making out with Lottie" Stef stated as she picked her keys from her desk and then took a few steps forward, getting ready to leave. She patted Caleb on the shoulder and said "Don't sell yourself short, Caleb. And hey you'd be lucky to have Ivy...but she'd also be lucky to have you. Whatever happens, just make sure you don't hurt her. She's had enough of that. And then I'd have to hurt you"

Caleb chucked and smiled at her and nodded as he spoke in a whisper "Yes ma'am"

Stef smiled and patted his shoulder once more before walking away "Where are you off to?" He asked with a laugh.

"My mistress" Stef dryly joked in aid to avoid the question to avoid answering that she is heading on her way to the hospital to get a second monogram.

* * *

Ivy leaned against her desk as she watched her second class of the day walk in. Callie and Brandon were in the first one, they took the news pretty well. Callie was really understanding. The next person in this class was Mariana. Which she had no doubt was going to be quite a tough one. Good thing Lexi was now back to help comfort the situation.

She shot them both a smile as they walked in the room. But she was rather nervous like she was for the first class. Ivy waited till they were all seated. She rubbed the palm of her hands roughly together and looked down to the floor as she stood back up. Ivy placed her hands on her hips and let out a deep breath before finally speaking up "Alright my horrible lot" she dryly joked, getting her regular muffled laughs.

"So, today I am actually going to have to start the lesson off with a bit of a bummer, and no I don't mean your grades on your last paper"

Again the class let out a murmur of laughs. Ivy looked to Mariana who was smiling brightly, she took a step forward and took a deep breath "Okay guys, you know how much I love you and think you guys are awesome and there isn't an easy way to say this but erm...this week...this week will be my last week here at Anchor Beach"

Everyone's faces dropped, with various students speaking for everyone and saying "What!" as Mariana just stared at her in shock. And hurt.

Ivy held her hands up and sighed "Honest guys I never thought it would come to this but I just erm...well I gotta let go of this place"

Mariana suddenly stood up and quickly headed towards the door.

"Mari-" but Ivy's attempt of bringing her to a halt but failed miserably. Ivy sighed and glanced to Lexi who was slowly rising from her seat. Ivy raised her hand to her "I need to talk to her, Lex" she then looked at the rest of the class "I'm sorry guys I'll be right back and explain a little bit more"

With those words, Ivy quickly escaped the room and jogged down the hall, grabbed onto Mariana's arm. Mariana spun around "Why didn't you say something?!"

"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to ruin the weekend and I only decided this at the start of it"

"I thought you wanted to be close with us again?" Mariana muttered with tears filling up in her eyes. Ivy looked at her, sympathetically and lightly touched her arm and sighed out "I do, hon, I'm trying"

"Then why are you leaving? That's just gonna pull you away"

"No it's not. It's not Mari because I need to get away from this place, I need to cut the final cord I'm holding onto Nate with to finally move forward. I'm not doing this just for me, I'm doing it for you guys, because although I love this place, I'm no longer happy here. I need to get back to my roots, to my writing and go back to what makes me really happy. And hey if anything you're gonna be closer to me than ever, I'm gonna be at home a _lot_ "

Mariana couldn't help but let out a small, watery smile. She didn't know if Ivy was just saying what Mariana was wanting to hear or if she was being genuine. Ivy did know though, she knew that she was being genuine. Mariana still remained silent. Ivy smiled and softly rubbed Mariana's arm as she took a step closer to her.

"You might end up getting sick of me"

Mariana then let out a laugh "That's impossible"

"Just you wait" Ivy said with a small chuckle and then pulled Mariana into a tight hug, dropping her head beside Mariana's through her smile and clutching her hands together as her arms wrapped around Mariana's petite body. After a moment, Ivy placed her hand on the back of Mariana's head and said "Alright _Drama Queen_. Ready to go back in there and actually learn stuff?"

"You think you actually teach us stuff?" Mariana dryly teased back. Ivy smirked and took Mariana by the hand and walked her back into the classroom.

"Alright" she called as they entered "Now that my sister has bit my head off for this, I'll get back to tell you guys"

Ivy didn't go into too much detail, after all these kids were her students no matter how much of a friend she felt like to all of them. She mentioned Nate since Nate was no stranger "He taught you all, you all knew him and you all knew us. There were all sorts of rumours flying around but you knew...and...aside for me wanting to go back to my writing roots and try to work on sets and stuff I also you know need to move on from grieving and stuff. So" Ivy cleared her throat and looked away from them "Yeah that's it. So let's try our best and enjoy this last week together, yeah?"

* * *

Ivy had lunch with Lena in her office, like she does most days. Lena said that even when Ivy does not work at the school anymore she's to come and have lunch with her at least twice a week. Lena would miss their daily gossip over their boxes of salad that really they complained about and said how they'd rather have the pizza from the cafeteria. But still, they had a good time.

"So how did the kids take it?" Lena asked as she then stuffed a piece of lettuce in her mouth.

Ivy sighed and raised her eyebrows "Callie and Brandon, good. Understanding. Mariana, tears and eventual understanding. Jesus, sad and very supportive and I didn't teach Jude but I told him and he was pretty bummed but he said if I'm sure it'll make me happy then he's happy for me"

"Well I think that's how we expected it, huh? Especially with Mariana"

"She's just sensitive that's all" Ivy shrugged "She's not one for change"

"No she's not"

Ivy's phone began to ring on the desk, Ivy leaned forward in her chair "It's Caleb, hold on"

Lena raised an eyebrow with a suggestive smirk. Ivy noticed and shook her head as she put the phone to her ear and whispered "Stop"

Ivy cleared her throat "Caleb"

 _"Ivy my darling friend"_

"What do you want now?" Ivy squinted her eyes as she sensed that he was after something.

 _"You cut like a knife, you know that? God. I was actually going to ask you something but not a favour. It's a question for your family too. I'd ask your mom but she's gone somewhere"_

"Okay, okay what is it? What do you want to ask me?"

Ivy looked up to see Lena holding a note pad with big bold writing **DATE?**

Ivy shook her head and waved her hand to Lena to put the notebook down _"You know it's my birthday in a couple days right? Saturday to be exact"_

"You've not let me forget since we got back from camping on"

 _"Right well. I'm throwing a party. A big one, forties theme because, well I look great in a suit and I wanted to make it fun. I am inviting your family. So could you put Lena on? I only called you cause I don't have her number"_

"You're such an ass" Ivy muttered as she heard Caleb laugh over the phone _"You know I'm kidding! Come on what do you say?"_

Ivy stared at Lena and sighed "What time?"

 _"Starts at seven thirty, so is that a yes?"_

"That's a maybe" Ivy teased with a cocky smirk on her face as she stuck her tongue in her cheek.

 _"You're such a tease, okay, text me your answer alright. Oh oh and it's the 'F and F' club, I rented the whole place out"_

"Aren't you pulling out the big stops. Okay, I'll text you, now actually go and do your job"

 _"Yes boss, see you soon"_

Ivy hung up the phone and placed it back down on the desk, to look up at her mother gleaming at her "It was a date!" she said in an excited tone.

Ivy sarcastically grinned and answered back in the same excited yet sarcastic tone "No it wasn't!" she then laughed and sat back in her chair, she then spoke in her normal clear voice and then added "No he's invited the whole family to his birthday party that's on Saturday, at the F and F club, forties themed. I said I'd text him the answer-"

"The answer is yes. Of course we'll go"

"You haven't talk to mom about it"

"She'll say yes, she loves Caleb and she loves anything forties themed remember?" Lena said with a smirk and the raise of an eyebrow. Ivy nodded and sighed "I do know cause so do I...loving the forties that is"

"Right of course" Lena dryly teased.

Ivy nodded and then let out another sigh as she grabbed her phone to text Caleb due to Lena staring at her for her to do so.

 _ **Alright Gatsby. You got yourself a family.**_

It took hardly even ten seconds for her to get a reply from him.

 ** _Good. See you there Daisy._**

Ivy muttered a laugh and shook her head as she rolled her eyes and put the phone back onto the desk, she then began to attack her salad again, biting her lip she looked back up to Lena and asked "Hey, do you know where mom has gone to?"

Lena opened her mouth to speak, which just told Ivy that she meant yes, and the look that Lena got from Ivy told her that Lena shouldn't even try to lie to her know since she knew that Lena knew where Stef really was. Ivy wasn't just their daughter she was also an adult of the house.

"Your mom has gone to the hospital"

Ivy stared at Lena and spoke in a muttered worried tone "She okay?"

"She will be, she will be she's just gone for a monogram. Routine check up that's all"

"Oh" Ivy said breathlessly with a small smile "Okay, good. She'll be okay then"

"Yeah she will, nothing to worry about"

* * *

Ivy was on her free lesson, walking down the hall she came across Brandon and Mat in the music room, with Talya singing to her hearts content. The door was open, Ivy took a step forward and leaned against the door frame as she listened. You could tell that Brandon really didn't want her there. She heard him mention that he and Mat had put together some sort of rock kind of musical to Romeo and Juliet. She loved the idea.

Romeo and Juliet was always Nate's favourite Shakespeare play. He was always cliché like that.

After she was finished, Ivy walked into the room as she clapped. A genuine clap, she wasn't being sarcastic. Even though she wasn't a fan of Talya for causing trouble with Callie, she had to give it to her, she could sing.

"That was really good" Ivy complimented as she walked to behind Brandon on his piano. Rested her hands on the top of his head and pulled his head back to make eye contact with him "Wasn't she?"

"Yeah. Yeah she was" Brandon nodded as he put his head back down. Ivy, still resting her hands on his head, waited until Mat had exchanged one or two words to Talya, when she left. Ivy put her back to the piano beside Brandon and muttered "Are you really considering having her in your play?"

Brandon shrugged, she then turned at the sound of Mat's voice "There was no one else that was close to being as good as Talya"

"You are aware that this is his ex?" Ivy said with a small laugh

Mat shrugged and nodded "Yeah but, we should just be professional" Ivy glanced to Brandon, who still didn't look happy about any of this. Then she got an idea. Looking back to Mat she said "So if you find someone just as good or better than Talya then you'll wipe her out?"

"Well yeah, sure it'll be easier for everyone. Why do you have someone in mind"

"I think so"

Brandon raised his eyebrows "What you wanna do it? You've got the voice-"

"No no" Ivy laughed as she put her hand on his shoulder "Flattering but no, I'm too old for Mat I'd say" Mat chuckled and raised an eyebrow to her as he shrugged again.

"Okay, don't go anywhere" Ivy stated as she walked out the room.

It was as if God had planned this out for her because the person she was looking for was also on a free lesson and stood by her locker. Ivy quickly hurried over and grabbed Mariana by the hand and began to pull her "Come with me"

"What why?"

"Didn't Mat tell you about the musical"

"Yes"

Ivy stopped and turned to her "Then why the hell have you not auditioned"

Mariana shrugged "I didn't want to feel like I got it just because I'm dating him"

Ivy softly smile and squeezed Mariana's hand "Sweetie, you won't get this role because you're dating Mat you'll get it because you're freaking amazing. Do you want to audition"

"Sure-"

"Then come on, cause I feel like Brandon will end up shooting himself if Tayla gets the role"

Mariana laughed and followed Ivy as her hand still clutched to hers. Ivy flung the door back open and flung Mariana in the room as well, grabbing onto the handle she said as she shut it "Gentlemen your Juliet"

* * *

The end of the day came quicker than Ivy had expected. One minute she was teaching and the next she was in the car with Jesus, singing at the top of their lungs to _I Love Rock 'N' Roll._ Ivy could sing, but Jesus really couldn't.

"I sound terrible next to you"

"Just next to me?" Ivy teased with an amused smirk.

Jesus rolled his eyes and looked at the window "So hey, are you really sure about quitting? You don't think you'll regret it?" he asked as he then looked back to her. Ivy glanced to him and then looked back to the road and shrugged "I'm sure I'll miss it and yeah I guess it'll be hard at first cause I worked their for the best part of a year and it holds a lotta memories but I'll get used to it, and yeah I wanna get back to-"

"Your roots"

"Exactly" Ivy giggled "Besides I'll be at home all the time so I'll always drop by some days for lunch with you guys, I already got the approval from Monte for that"

"Good" Jesus nodded "Cause I'm really going to miss you around there, and so are my friends. Said they'll miss seeing you around"

"That's nice of them"

"Yeah. Can't tell whether they were being pervy or not" Jesus said with a light laugh then shrugged "Maybe they were both pervy and genuine"

"Pervuine?" Ivy smirked as she raised an eyebrow to him, which only made him laugh more.

They came round to the house, Ivy parked up as Jesus jumped out. She pulled the roof back over the car and locked it up, her head spinning around when she heard Jesus say "Ivy! Hurry there's someone here!"

Ivy tilted her head as she walked forward and slid her car keys in her back pockets, walking in the house and shutting the door behind her, she walked into the kitchen where everyone else was and then saw who all the fuss was about "Grandma!"

Sharon threw her arms in the air as she let out a little giggle as Ivy ran into her arms. Certainly a different approach from last time when Ivy was cold and her hug was barely even considered loving. This hug was like the old ones, warm and filled with nothing but love.

"Hello sweetheart!" Sharon cradled Ivy's head for a brief moment and then let go as Ivy pulled back, Sharon then held her hands up and said "I'm not here to check up on ya don't worry! But it is good to see you like this again, Bear"

Ivy grinned and shook her head "I'm just glad you're here" she said as she hugged her tightly again. She did feel guilty the way she left it with Sharon last time, barely even looking at her never mind talking. Now she could rebuild those broken bridges with her now that she has done with everyone else.

Seeing Ivy hug Sharon so tight brought a tear to Stef's eye. Ivy looked up to her and smiled, letting go of Sharon as then went to talk to her other grandchildren with Lena, Ivy put his hand on Stef's arm and looked into her eyes "How was it today? At the hospital"

"Mama told you?"

Ivy nodded and quietly hummed "Mm-hm"

Stef sighed and was quiet for a moment as she got lost in her thoughts, Ivy's hand then flew to Stef's as she whispered in a plea "Mom"

Stef snapped out of it and took her eyes back to Ivy. Ivy stared at her for a moment in silence, she then muttered "Are you okay?"

Stef gave her a tight smile and placed her hand on Ivy's cheek and whispered softly "Yes baby, I'm fine" she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Ivy's forehead "I'm fine" she slid her hand back down to Ivy's and took hold of it as she slowly guided her towards the rest of the family "Come on"

But things weren't as fine as Stef made out to be, there was a worry in the doctor's eyes and Stef could see it. When asking if everything was okay herself they just dodged giving her a straight answer and said 'I'm sure it is' which was something you say to someone to comfort them even when you didn't even know yourself if things were going to be okay, she'd get her results soon. For now she stayed calm, she wouldn't dare say to Ivy that she didn't know herself if she was okay, she couldn't and wouldn't break all the progress that Ivy had made. Because if Stef did have cancer, it would break Ivy all over again.

* * *

"Hello?"

 _"Princess"_

Ivy rolled her eyes at Caleb's mockery "I told you-"

 _"I know your highness, you don't like it I'm sorry I'll stop"_

"And with the you highness too"

It fell silent for a moment _"So...what am I supposed to call you"_

"Ivy you idiot" Ivy said with a small laugh _"Ivy is no fun, that's not teasing"_

Ivy muttered another laugh and sat on one of the chairs in the dining room as she talked to him "You're so charming"

 _"Thanks. Hey what're you doing right now?"_

"Sat in the dining room and talking to you?"

 _"You wanna go to the movies. That new movie Creed just came out and I'm dying to go see it. And I have no one to go with, all my friends actually have lives"_

Ivy sarcastically scoffed and then dryly joked "The cheek...I do actually wanna see that film"

 _"Great! So answer your door cause I'm here right now"_

"What?"

 _"Door. Me. On the other side"_

Ivy cautiously stood up, not knowing whether this was one of his stupid jokes again or not. Pulling the door back, Caleb grinned and hung up the phone, sliding his phone in his jeans pockets. Ivy couldn't help but just look at him. He was gorgeous, she'd never deny that. She looked at him up and down, wearing dark blue jeans, a plain black t-shirt and a thick dark grey trench coat. Caleb looked at her and subtly did the same, then slapping her on the arm and said "Hey. Eye's up here, I am not a piece of meat"

"Oh" Ivy sighed sympathetically, she motioned her hand to his mouth and said "See it's when this starts talking that the whole illusion of you actually being attractive is shattered"

Caleb gave her a sarcastic amused grin with a sarcastic laugh to go along with it "Come on, get your coat and shoes on, it starts soon"

Ivy rolled her eyes and grabbed her coat "You could've given me some time Caleb"

"I was being spontaneous"

Ivy smirked and once again rolled her eyes as she grabbed her boots and sat down at the chair to put them on. Caleb stepped in and closed the door behind him. Leading to Stef, Lena and Sharon coming through to see who Ivy was speaking to.

"Caleb" Stef said in a high pitched tone as she nudge Ivy as she walked past her, crossing her arms she said "What are you doing here?"

"Ivy and I are going out to go see that new movie Creed. Since we do boxing together I feel like it could teach her a thing or too"

Ivy scoffed her breath as she stood back up "Teach me a thing or two" Ivy then looked to Sharon was had her beady eyes glued to the handsome stranger and motioned her hand to Caleb "Grams this is Caleb"

"Well hello handsome!" Sharon didn't hold back, shaking his hand.

Caleb chuckled and nodded "Hi, nice to meet you"

"So, movie?" Lena said as she raised an eyebrow to Ivy, just knowing that what she said before about going on her date still stands. Ivy pinched Lena's arm and shook her head to make her stop before Caleb questions anything.

"Yeah, don't worry I'll have her back by ten" Caleb dryly teased.

"You better" Stef smirked as she kissed Ivy's temple "Have fun"

"You sure you're okay?" Ivy whispered. Stef smiled and gave her a nudge "Go. Stop worrying, I'm fine and just have some fun, alright?"

"Alright" Ivy nodded giving them a little smile she said as she turned she then said "I love you all"

"We love you too" Lena called to her as she left the house with Caleb. Shutting the door, Ivy walked down the steps beside Caleb, he looked at her and then nudged her with his shoulder "Want me to hold your hand when we cross the street?"

Ivy slapped his strong arm which pushed him a little and smirked as she just got in the car.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed I really had fun with this chapter.**

 **So yeah I am bringing Stef's cancer storyline forward, I was debating doing one before it was on the show and now that it is I just feel like I wanna try it so :))**

 **Please leave reviews below!**


	16. Past Truths

"So, who was _that_?" Sharon raised an eyebrow with a suggestive tone as she stepped down into the kitchen following Stef and Lena.

"That was Caleb. He works with me"

"Hm and when did he come into the picture?"

Stef and Lena looked to each other as they shared the same thought, trying to pin point the moment "Not long after you left I suppose"

Sharon smirked as she sat down and wrapped her hands back around her cup of tea, raising an eyebrow to them "You set it up?"

"No they actually met on the beach and he knew who she was and he tried to give her a bit if a lecture" Stef paused for letting out a laugh "Which wasn't a great move since she basically told him to get lost but they just pulled together"

"Hm well that bit was clear enough" Sharon murmured in a high tone as she took a sip of her tea "He certainly is nice to look at I wouldn't be able to get any work done"

"Mother" Stef sighed out as she rubbed her forehead due to her embarrassment.

"What? I'm just saying what everyone would be thinking. Well those who admire a fine man when they see one"

"My god" Stef whispered under her breath as Lena let out a muffled laugh. Sharon then leaned her crossed arms onto the table and spoke in a more serious light "But seriously, she seems a lot better than last time"

Stef couldn't help but form a small smile, genuinely feeling her heart filled with warmth that she could finally agree. Stef gently nodded and rubbed her lips together, she glanced down to her cup of tea "Yeah she is"

She then heard Lena add "To be honest it's got a lot to do with that boy"

Stef said nothing, she just looked back to her mother and simply nodded along to what Lena had said. They had never really given it much thought but it was true. Stef was finally getting through to Ivy but it was Caleb who pushed her through, with training her on the boxing she got off the streets and getting high and drinking, she was at a very sober mind and was spending more time with the family, and smiling and dare she say _laughing_. Stef then put her hand on Lena's and lightly laughed "Yeah and although we think he's a great match we need to ease up on the cupid phase, after what happened she-"

"Whoa whoa!" Sharon raised her hands "What happened?" she asked with an excited expression written across her face. Stef sighed and closed her eyes as she turned her head back to her mother, she opened her eyes and muttered "Ivy and Caleb kind of" she paused and then said quickly "Made out but it's fine it isn't a big deal they-"

"Oh oh it is a big deal! They kissed? Like...with tongue?"

"I do not want to think about that please" Stef shook her head as she stuck her fingers in her ears. Sharon rolled her eyes and slapped her hands away from her ears.

"Oh Stephanie don't be such a prude, we all know Ivy isn't exactly a virgin"

"Again with this no please stop it this is my baby and _your_ grandbaby I might add" Stef laid her head in her hands. Lena muttered a laugh as she looked to Stef. But who could blame her, it wasn't exactly ideal to hear about your first baby having sex. Not at all.

Sharon shook her head and then got onto the more serious subject, more as to why she was really here "So you're getting another monogram?"

"I just had one, mom"

"Yeah but then get a second opinion"

"That was a second opinion"

Sharon sighed "But-"

"Mom" Stef looked Sharon in the eyes and gave her a soft smile, she shook her head and stretched her hand over to Sharon and gave hers a light squeeze "It's fine"

* * *

Caleb and Ivy sat in their seats in front of the big screen. Creed wasn't showing tonight. Something wrong with the projector. But since they were already here. They may as well make the most of it.

"Can't believe you've dragged me here" Caleb groaned as he sunk into his seat. Ivy laughed at him and shot him a glance " _You_ wanted to come here"

"Yeah but not _here_ "

A man behind them leaned forward in his seat "Could you please keep it down. I can't hear the movie clearly" Caleb and Ivy both shot a glance at him. Caleb gave him a nod and whispered "Sorry" Caleb turned his head back and pulled an _oops_ face like a teenage boy in trouble.

"Anyway what's wrong with it?" Ivy whispered, then putting a piece of popcorn in his mouth. Caleb shook his head and muttered "Look. I wouldn't mind coming to see some Drew Barrymore romcom bullshit like this, if we were dating but we're not so it's hardly even worth it"

"Ah but if we ended up having sex later on you wouldn't be saying that"

"We shall see"

"No we won't" Ivy whispered back with a small laugh. Caleb glanced to her and smirked "Is this a date?" he teased in a whisper. Ivy looked to him and smirked as she chuckled and shook her head "If it was a date you'd know about it"

Caleb tilted his head "You got some moves?"

Ivy giggled and went to answer but was quickly interrupted by the man behind them once again as he snarled "Hey! I won't ask you again. Zip it"

Ivy rolled her eyes and turned around back to the guy "Alright, _pal_ , why don't you just relax okay?"

The man then looked at her "You gonna do something if I don't?"

Ivy shook her head "No" she said in a quiet an almost too calm tone and then carried on more clearly "No I won't but my boyfriend will" Ivy wasn't even meaning Caleb, she just mentioned a made up boyfriend for the sake in hoping that it would shut the guy up. Realising it was a pretty stupid thing to say since Caleb was sat right next to her, it was a slip of the tongue, one slip that made Caleb's head snap to her.

Even know this man was a tall overweight man who could most likely not seem intimidated.

The man then looked at Caleb "Hey why don't you put a muzzle on your girl before bringing her out next time"

"Ey!" Ivy snarled with a shocked look on her face. Caleb looked to the man and said in a calm voice "Alright man, you owe her an apology right now"

"Oh really?"

Caleb nodded. The man then stood up to reveal his very tall height "You, me outside now"

Ivy rolled her eyes and sighed "Oh god"

Caleb also let out a sigh and glanced to Ivy. Her eyes then widened when she saw Caleb actually stand up and beginning to follow the man out. Ivy shot up and whispered as they walked down the aisle "The hell are you doing?"

Caleb turned to her as he continued to walk to outside the room "You're the one who brought a _boyfriend_ into the mix"

"Slip of the tongue and well in case you haven't noticed, you're not my boyfriend"

"No shit" Caleb muttered as he raised his eyebrows to her.

When they then reached outside, Caleb spoke up in his normal voice "Look boyfriend or not this guy still owes you an apology"

Ivy put her hand on his shoulder and made him look at her "Okay but he is _huge_. And no matter how big you think your freaking muscles are he's most likely gonna knock you out"

"I'm not gonna fight the guy okay" he turned around to the guy and walked towards him "You can say all kinds of shit to me but not to a woman, now say you're sorry-"

The man's reply was a punch across Caleb's face, knocking him back for Ivy to catch them, both sliding down the wall. Caleb has his back laid against Ivy, with his head on her chest.

"Jesus" Ivy sighed as she once again rolled her eyes.

"Now I'm gonna go back in and watch the film in peace. I don't want to see you two back in there" the guy then left them and didn't say a word.

With Ivy's hand resting on his head, Caleb rubbed his face and muttered "Son of a bitch"

"Jeez Caleb...are you okay?"

"Ah" he groaned as he rubbed his face more. Ivy's hand went onto his forehead "Why don't we go arrest him?"

"Cute" he muttered

"Caleb maybe we should get you to a hospital"

"No, it's alright-"

"No you might have a concussion" Ivy looked behind her to try and see if anyone who near them, but she couldn't see anyone. Caleb but his hand on her small waist and pressed the side of his face against her chest "Actually, I'm kind of okay here" Ivy looked down at him and saw his smirk as his head was basically just snuggled in her breast.

"Caleb!" she whined with a small laugh, she gripped his hair and lifted his head up as he laughed, her laugh grew as she muttered "You're such an idiot" she then threw his head out of her hand as he sat up "You're perfectly fine"

As she stood up, Caleb lay down on the floor. Still laughed. Ivy stood at his feet and held her hands out for him to take "Right _Rocky_ , thank you for that low budget showing of Creed but let's get out of here" Caleb took her hands and walked out of the movie theatre "That was over quickly. You could have least put up a fight"

Caleb scoffed as he pushed the door as he walked out "Shut up, Foster" he laughed and tucked his hands into his coat pockets "Where'd you wanna go now?"

Ivy looked to his injury on his temple to his cheekbone and laughed as she lightly touched it "Well if you won't let me take you to the hospital at least let me take you home"

"Hm. Bit forward"

Ivy groaned a sighed and dropped her hand "To get you cleaned up, idiot"

* * *

They walked into the house from the back, going into the kitchen. Where surprise surprise, everyone was. It warmed Ivy's heart to walk into a house filled with laughter and smiles again, even better, to walk in the room and not have those sounds and expressions die down because she dragged down the mood. Sharon looked up to see Ivy and Caleb walk through the door, with a glass of red in her hand she cheered "Hey! There you are!"

The whole family looked up and greeted the pair as they walked in. With laughter still in her voice Stef asked "What're you doing back so soon?"

"We kind of...got kicked out I guess you could say?" Ivy lightly laughed, Stef tilted her head and then looked to Caleb and saw the shiner that was coming through near his eye, she stood up and walked over to them "Jesus Christ. The hell happened to you?"

"Paying the price for your daughter's mouth"

Ivy scoffed and swatted his arm "No one asked you to protect me now did they?" she raised her eyebrows to him and then walked over to Sharon and demanded a glass of red before she would attend to Caleb's war wound. Stef smirked and put her hands on her hips " _Protecting_ her?"

"Don't make a thing out of it" Caleb shook his head, he shrugged "A guy didn't speak to her very nice I don't like men disrespecting women like that so I went to say something and this was the outcome"

"Protecting her" Stef repeated with a teasing smile. Caleb frowned and tilted his head to her "You're as bad as my parents"

"Your parents?" Stef laughed.

"Yeah. They were visiting me and they saw that she text me and overreacted thinking I've found _the one_ as they put it" he lightly chuckled and shook his head "They're a bit desperate for me to settle down"

"Well they're right you're not getting any younger"

"Thanks" he laughed "Surprised your even on board with an idea of me _pining for Ivy_ from being four, nearly five years older than her"

"Hey, I'm three years older than Lena" Stef raised her eyebrows to him. Caleb looked to Lena and then to Stef and muttered in a surprised tone "Really?"

"I know. I know. I look _much_ younger" Stef grabbed onto his sleeve and guided him over to sit on a stool as Ivy got the first aid kit to patch up his cut that rested to the side of his temple. Ivy grabbed the stuff she needed and walked over to him, as his body turned to face her, she stood between his legs, at the end of them and wiped the cut with disinfectant. Which caused him to hiss with the small pains hitting him.

The kids watched her patch him up, Jesus pointed to Caleb and asked "So what happened?"

"Your sister picks fight with men who are ten times _my_ size"

Ivy rolled her eyes and scoffed "Yes. Completely my fault"

Caleb pointed to her mouth "When _this_ shoots off-ah!"

Ivy smirked, she purposely pressed down harder on his cut to shut him up and then gave him an innocent sweet smile "Sorry. Did that hurt?"

Caleb groaned and just glared at her, he then looked to the kids without moving his head that much and said "Nah just this guy was being rude to your sister, I went to talk to him to get him to apologise but he had other ideas"

"Aw" Mariana muttered in a high pitched tone as she held her hands over her heart and looked to Ivy with a subtle smirk "That's so sweet"

Ivy shook her head and grumbled "Yeah my hero" she put the small strips of white Band-Aids onto his cut and then nodded as she backed away and returned to the first aid kit "There. You're fine"

Sharon then extended her arm with a glass of wine to Caleb "How about it, Caleb?"

Caleb smiled and lightly chuckled as he took the glass out of her hand "Thanks"

Ivy sat down in the middle of Stef and Caleb and had her own glass of wine as they all got soaked up in conversation. Sharon turned her head to Caleb and laid her chin on her hand "So. Stef tells me that you're having a party this weekend for your birthday!"

"Yeah, yeah. You're welcome to come. I have a feeling that you'd be the life of the party"

"Ah! Well you're probably right"

Stef leaned towards him and muttered "You're gonna need more booze"

"Stephanie" Sharon sighed as she swatted her daughters arm. Caleb laughed and shrugged "They'll be plenty of that"

"Oh good!" Sharon cheered as she took another sip of her wine.

* * *

Ivy and Caleb disappeared for a little while from the family after Caleb ran out and teased her by going to go in her room. He was only kidding he wouldn't of actually gone, but Ivy shrugged and said that he could chill on the couch whilst she went into the bathroom and got changed. He lay on the couch for a moment or two and then stood up as he stood in the centre of the room and peered his head around. His eyes couldn't help but catch onto the picture frame behind her bed. Slowly he felt his feet move nearer to it. Ivy stepped out of the bathroom and saw him. His head snapped up when he heard the door creek. He half expected her to tell him to get away from it or snap at him for looking around her things but she didn't. She just loosely followed her arms and looked at him with a soft expression.

Caleb pointed to the picture and asked "This him?"

Ivy nodded and said with a faint smile "Nate"

Caleb looked down to the picture of Nate. The picture was a POV shot from her, as he was on the opposite side of the couch, her feet resting on his lap. She must've said something to get him laughing because he certainly was. Ivy wanted to capture his smile, she adored his smile. When she was in San Francisco she always looked at the picture that Stef had sent her through email that she requested just so she could go to sleep from looking at his smile. It was still effective to this day. Caleb lightly picked up the picture frame, which Ivy seemed to be okay with. She sat on the opposite side of the bed, with her back at him she slightly turned to look at him as he then sat down on his side of the bed and did the same, with his eyes still on the picture.

Caleb smiled and said with a light chuckle as he flashed the picture to her "Good looking guy"

"I always thought so"

"Got better hair than me that's for sure. Mine's just all fluffy" He laughed as he ruffled his head.

"If it makes you feel any better he had curls back in high school"

Caleb looked to her with a soft expression on his face "Yeah?" Ivy nodded along with making a quiet _Mm-hm_ sound and then adding in a whisper, as if it was a secret "And the fluffy hair suits you"

"Thanks for the approval" Caleb muttered with a smirk as he looked down to the picture. He tilted his head as he looked at the red flannel long sleeved shirt that Nate was wearing and pointed to it "Is the one you wear his? You were the other day"

Ivy nodded "It's his. I don't have all of his stuff, I couldn't hold onto _everything_ I just kept the things that he loved, and he loved that shirt" she laughed. She then rubbed her lips together and pointed to the picture "I actually bought him that when we were fifteen and cause he was a little scrawny it didn't exactly fit him it was too big. But he kept it and when he built up his muscle it finally did" she laughed again, with Caleb's laugh being heard along with it.

Caleb stretched his arm back over to the bedside table and placed the picture back down, his head turned back to Ivy as she started another sentence "You know he...he would have actually liked you"

Caleb raised an eyebrow "Is that right?"

"Yeah. He always had a thing for idiots"

"Well clearly" Caleb laughed as he leaned down on his elbow further towards her and joked "He was in love with you after all"

Ivy rolled her eyes and slapped his chest lightly "Suppose I deserved that one. You're not too wrong though really. I am a bit of an idiot"

"I was only joking...I mean yeah you've made mistakes. Everyone has. It's different"

"No not that" Ivy laughed breathlessly, she motioned her hand to around the room and carried on "I was an idiot for thinking I could lock myself away in this cocoon of mine and his memories, thinking that somehow he might walk through the door but..." she shrugged "He won't" Ivy then nodded as she tucked her hair behind her right ear and then dropped her hand back down onto her thigh "And y'know I've become more...more _accepting_ of that than I ever have before"

"I understand" Caleb nodded as he looked down to his hands, to then look up at Ivy's face which told him that she didn't know whether to believe him or not on if he actually did. Caleb gulped heavily and then lay on the bed on his stomach, with his feet still on the floor, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked to her  
"I had a sister"

Ivy's eyebrows pinched together and tilted her head "A sister?"

"Yep"

"Mom never mentioned that"

"Your mom doesn't know that's why. No one knows. Apart from my family obviously and friends back in Boston"

Ivy then grew strangely fearful as she said "You said you _had_ a sister?"

Caleb took a deep breath through his nose and muttered "Yeah. Had"

Ivy then slowly lay on her stomach down on the bed, propping herself on her elbows and just stared at him. Saying nothing. Just waiting for him to carry on. She didn't push. Caleb looked down at his twiddling thumbs and then pushed his hand back and forth on the duvet, staring down at it as he cleared his throat and began to speak "Her name was Eleanor. Well. I called her Ellie. She was two years younger than me...I was" he shrugged and then said with a little smile as he looked to Ivy.

"I was the typical protective older brother if you can believe that"

"I can" Ivy said in a whisper and a soft smile.

Caleb let out a brief genuine smile and then carried on "We were really close. She was so happy and full of life...erm...then one night I found her with this guy that I didn't exactly approve of. For good reason he was just a bad guy, had a really violent reputation and rumoured to be a drug dealer so I clearly didn't want that kind of influence for my sister...she was nineteen, so young that she was easily manipulated by him. Anyway. The night I found her with him outside a club that his friend ran, I got into a fight with him and just grabbed her and put her in the car. We argued. For the first time since we were kids and arguing over something stupid like who ate the last animal cracker. For the first time we were really arguing and yelling at each other. So much that...that I wasn't focused on the road. I wasn't focused on the road that much that I didn't see the bus coming from round the corner in time..."

"Oh my god" Ivy whispered in a gasp, with unexpected tears running down her cheeks.

Caleb's eyes filled up, he sniffed up and shook his head "It hit us on her side. We then crashed into a wall on my side. I woke up and she wouldn't. I climbed in the back, I was hurt but I didn't care, I climbed in the back and got out from her side. I then walked over to her door but the bus had crushed the door so it was jammed shut. Took that paramedics to get her out. We got to the hospital. Mom and Dad arrived just after I was checked up, they were at a dinner party. About fifteen minutes later they told us that Ellie couldn't be saved...and that they were _sorry_ " he then scoffed as more tears ran down his cheeks and muttered as he looked down to his hands "Fat load of good that did for us"

Ivy's hand fell to his hand "I'm so sorry"

"Me too. Everyday I'm sorry"

"It wasn't your fault Caleb" Ivy said softly as she shook his head.

"That's what my mom told me. But I could see in her eyes that she felt different"

"I have never met her but I can guarantee that she does not blame you either. The only person who blames you is you. It seems we have that in common. But you know what I learned? That night I was in that jail cell in fact"

"What?"

"That it _wasn't_ my fault. Maybe you should spend a night in a cell too to realise that" she said with a light laugh.

He lightly chuckled "Already done that" he looked up into her curious eyes "I went after the guy. Before putting the whole blame onto myself I put some of it onto him. Beat the shit out of him. The guy didn't press charges because he said I was grieving and it wasn't worth it. He knew I found dirt on him so...he's the reason I got into the police. So I could put assholes like him away"

"Is he in jail?"

"Possibly. Somewhere. He left town just before I was fully qualified"

Ivy hitched her breath and looked down to her hand that lay on his. _Typical_. She said to herself.

"I don't tell anyone about her because I don't want pity or for people to treat me different. My friends that had sisters found it hard to even mention them in front of me and I didn't want that"

"I get like that. For example I didn't tell you did I?"

Caleb shook his head and shrugged "And I didn't tell you...till now that is. You're the only one who knows"

Ivy gently nodded and rubbed her lips together, she cleared her throat "Your secret is safe with me"

"Thanks, I appreciate it" Caleb smiled, with more tears falling down his cheeks. With hesitation at first, Ivy brought her hand up to his cheek and wiped them away. Caleb looked into her eyes again "She would have liked you"

Ivy smiled as she dropped her hand "I'm sure I would have liked her. We don't sound so different, being led a stray by guys who aren't good for us...Jason. Not Nate"

"Of course" Caleb nodded with a whisper. Caleb then looked to the clock on her wall.

 _ **11:35pm.**_

In attempts to lighten the mood, Caleb laughed "Wow it's late. I better get going"

Caleb pushed himself up off of the bed, with Ivy then doing the same "'l'll walk you out. I don't want grams to dig her claws into as you pass by" Ivy laughed as she placed her hands on her hips. Thinking he'd make some sort of teasing remark such as _"Jealous are we?"  
_ But he didn't. Which she understood. He had just told the biggest loss of his life. That type of thing has a habit of being draining. Still, he put on a smile to the three women who were in the kitchen still, all the kids went to sleep when Ivy and Caleb went in her room.

"Goodnight ladies" he said with a gleaming _fake_ smile.

"Goodnight!" they all said in unison.

"See you all on Saturday" he added with his eyebrows raised to them with his charming smile as he walked through, getting nods and excited smiles from them all. Ivy opened the door for him as he stepped out, he turned to her. Subtly. Sharon, Lena and Stef hid behind kitchen wall and kept their ears peeled. The kids weren't asleep. They were never asleep. They were all at the top of the stairs, undetected of course.

Caleb softly smile and gave her a nod "Thanks. For letting me vent. Suppose..." he paused as he let out a long shrug "I didn't realise how much I needed to just say her name even to feel better I guess. So thanks-"

"You don't need to thank me. I opened up to you so I guess. Thank you for opening up to me"

Caleb tilted his head "Wow. This is our first heart to heart, like our first serious conversation"

"It's weird right?"

"Yeah" he laughed "But good weird"

Ivy nodded "We're making progress"

Caleb's reply to her was just another nod. She stared at him for a moment, and again with hesitation. She leaned forward and placed an innocent kiss on his cheek, something told her that he needed that. Just some kind of comfort that wasn't just a smile. When she pulled back. He once again, didn't make any kind of joking comment, he was actually rather grateful. Caleb bowed his head down as they both let out an awkward chuckle.

"Alright" Caleb laughed, then looking back up to her, he then finally cracked a joke by taking her hand and kissing it "Goodnight, _princess_ "

Ivy rolled her eyebrows and raised her eyebrows briefly. She was used to that by now.

"Goodnight"

She watched him walk down the pathway and didn't close the door till she watched him drive away. Ivy smirked and slowly closed the door. She stayed by the door for moment after shutting it, resting her hand on it. She took in a deep breath. Ivy then cleared her throat and called out with a smirk "Get to bed"

To then hear the kids shuffling around from running away and Stef, Lena and Sharon running to their rooms. With Sharon sleeping in Brandon's room, he had no choice but to sleep on a blow up mattress in Jude and Jesus's room other than the days he stayed at Mikes. Ivy ran her fingers through her hair as she stood with his hands falling to her hips and watched them get up the stairs one by one. As if she was the parent. The three women all shot her the same suggestive expression which only caused Ivy to roll her eyes even more "Goodnight"

Sharon nodded and muttered with a smirk "Good night indeed"

* * *

 **Sorry it's been a while!**

 **The heart breaking past of Caleb has been revealed. Do you think it could bring them closer?**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter please leave reviews on what you think!**


	17. Secret is Out

Ivy woke up to see her grandmother sat at the foot of her bed. Ivy's eyebrows pinched together as she fidgeted from waking herself up.

"This is either a dream or a nightmare"

"Both" Sharon laughed, then slapping Ivy's leg "Budge over"

Ivy sighed with a little smile and wriggled to the side as Sharon got in the bed beside her, Ivy looked beside her and saw the time. It was even before her alarm.

 _6:32am_

Ivy let out a yawn and turned to Sharon as she asked "What the hell are you even doing up this early?"

Sharon shrugged "Will is inside making breakfast. Thought I'd come by to see you"

Ivy raised her eyebrows to Sharon "Will's cooking again? Sorry Grams I'll pass on your boyfriends vegan diet"

Sharon's boyfriend Will was discovered Tuesday morning. It was only Thursday and she was already sick of his food.

"I don't blame you. God love him but if I have to eat one more _vegan_ sausage I think I'll puke. We'll have to swipe some of the real stuff"

Ivy looked at her and slowly nodded. She then looked down to her hands that were resting on her knees which were up to her chest. Then feeling Sharon give her a nudge with her shoulder "So what's going on with this Caleb boy?"

"Moms didn't give you the full detail already?"

"They were surprisingly vague" Sharon said with a short laugh.

Ivy hitched an amused breath as she looked to Sharon and then quickly back to her hands as she shrugged, clearing her throat and then going on to say that there was nothing to say. That they were now close as friends and was very insistent on the friends part. Sharon stared at her in silence for a moment and nodded, to then go on and ask "So _friends_ always make out do they? By a romantic campfire?"

"Okay it was just a campfire there was nothing romantic. And it was a mistake, heat of the moment thing"

"Sounds like me when I married your grandpa"

Ivy huffed out a brief laugh as she looked to Sharon who shook her head with a laugh "I'm kidding of course"

"Of course" Ivy muttered with a smirk.

"It's different"

"It is"

"Because you and Caleb are clearly compatible"

"Yeah well-wait what?" Ivy looked back to her grandmother "What are you talkin' about? You've met him once"

"Yeah I could practically see the smoke burning off of you two. The only ones who can't see it are you and him. Though by the sounds of things he can see it"

Ivy looked to Sharon with a harder and deeper look "Meaning?"

Sharon looked to Ivy with an awkward eye and knew that she should not of let that out. It was just a slip of the tongue. She quickly shook her head and said as she got out of the bed "Oh nothing"

Ivy leaned forward in her bed "Hold on, what does that mean?"

"Nothing nothing just start getting dressed you don't want to be late for work"

"Hey old lady" Ivy said with a laugh "Get your ass back here"

Sharon smirked and shook her head "I may be old" she paused as she opened the door "But I'm not a pushover"

Ivy's eyebrows pinched together and shook her head "What does that even mean?"

Sharon didn't answer and began to walk out the door with a little smirk still on her face "Grams!" but all Ivy got was the shut of the door. She slowly sat herself back down onto the bed and thought for a moment about what was just said. Had Caleb said that he liked her to someone? How does Sharon. Who has barely been here for a day seem to know more about Caleb's feelings than she does?

* * *

Ivy put the phone to her ear "What do you want?" She smirked as she marked the papers in her desk.

 _"I need you right away"_

Ivy muttered a laugh and looked up "Caleb I'm in work"

 _"I know. I'm in your work too"_

"What are you blabbering about?"

 _"Come to the gym"_

"I'm marking papers" she laughed.

 _"And that's great. This won't take long. Promise"_

Ivy silently sighed, she dropped her pen on the desk and stood up. With the phone still to her ear she said sharply "This better be worth it"

He said nothing, she just heard him laugh. As usual. Ivy walked into the gymnasium to see him stood in the middle of it, she tilted her head to him as she hung up the phone and asked as she slid it in her back pocket "How the hell did you get in here?"

"I'm a cop. There isn't much they say no to me for" He said with a smug smile as she approached him. Ivy stopped as she stood closely to him, looking into his eyes she rolled hers and said "What do you want?"

"Your mom tells me that you know your way around the dance floor"

Ivy shrugged as she crossed her arms "Depends what-"

"Like. Slow dancing and stuff. Classy dancing"

"Ah, yes I do. I thought you said you did too"

Caleb shook his head "Not slow dance. I can just" he shrugged "Dance"

Ivy squinted her eyes at him "Huh. Just... _dance_?"

Caleb frowned and sighed "I can tap dance alright"

Ivy tried and failed to hold in her laughs. But she couldn't help it. She wasn't judging per say, she just never pictured a guy like Caleb to come out that he tap dances. She covered her mouth with one hand and pushed his chest with the other. Caleb scoffed a laugh and rolled his eyes "Alright I know it's stupid"

"No, no" Ivy stopped her laughs and left an amused smile on her face "Just _unexpected_ "

Caleb ran his tongue across his bottom lip and then asked "You gonna help me or not? Can't have a forties themed party when I dunno how to dance like em"

Ivy looked at him with a lingering smirk and then rolled her eyes as she walked over to the potable speaker that he had placed on the side.

"You're in luck. I was just about done with those papers" she muttered as she connected her phone to the speaker "Key to this finding the perfect song"

She felt Caleb's body make gentle contact with her back as he looked over her shoulder as she looked through her music library.

"What about that?" Caleb asked as he pointed to _'Can't Help Falling In Love With You'_ which he was clearly unaware that it was Ivy and Nate's song. Ivy hitched her breath and shook her head as she quickly answered back "No" and quickly carried on scrolling. Caleb looked at her, getting the hint that it was a personal song and then remained silent.

"Okay" Ivy muttered as she pressed play "This is a good one"

Ivy stepped back into the centre of the gym with _'Young and Beautiful'_ playing. Caleb looked to her, she motioned her hand for him to come over to her "Come on, haven't got all day here"

Caleb walked over and slapped his hand to Ivy's. Ivy cleared her throat and nodded "Right, so" Ivy stepped forward, their bodies now intensely close. Ivy took his other hand and placed it on her back, putting her free hand on his shoulder. Their attached hands slightly risen.

Ivy glanced down to their feet "Okay so it's counting one, two three for in your head as you go forward and I go back. Back together, back together" she then looked back up into his eyes "Got it?"

"I guess" he laughed.

"Well. May as well get it going now" she said as she shot a smirk to him. Ivy raised her eyebrows to Caleb "Ready?"

"Mm-hm"

"Alright...go"

Caleb did as he was told and did the combination in his head over and over. Luckily his experience in dance altogether made it easier for him to follow and understand. Ivy looked to him as they moved around the gym "Hm not bad"

"I've been told"

"Oh so have you done this before?"

"Once. Prom. Only to get laid" Caleb muttered as he spun her around, Ivy rolled her eyes as her body faced his again "Let me guess, you did"

"Of course I did" Caleb said with a grin.

"Never had a prom" Ivy stated as she glanced down to their moving feet. Caleb looked at her, rather astonished "You never had a prom?"

"Well I mean there _was_ a prom I just wasn't allowed to go to it. Kath didn't have the money nor interest to have me go so" she shrugged "I didn't"

"Wow" Caleb muttered with a hint of sympathy at the back of his throat, then making light of it he smile as he spun her out "Well we'll just have to make Saturday even more special for you"

Spinning back in, Ivy said "You don't need to do anything for me"

Caleb shrugged "Not _need_ , but _want_ " he smiled.

Ivy couldn't help the small smile that formed on her face. Caleb suddenly dipped her, admiring her body as it stretched down, he slowly brought her back up, her hair falling back down her spine, her face coming back and stopping at an intensely close to his, their foreheads lightly touching. Taking deep breaths.

They then heard the clearing of a throat "Am in interrupting something?" Jesus asked as he walked in with his gym back.

Ivy and Caleb quick pulled apart. He gripped onto the back of his neck and cleared his throat as Ivy stopped the music and then stuttered "I-I was just helping Caleb with some dance moves for the party"

Jesus nodded with smirk on his face "Right. Sure"

After a moment of silence, Caleb looked to Ivy "Well I better get going"

"Yep" Ivy quickly replied as she nodded her head. Caleb nodded and pursed his lips due to his awkward nature and hummed "Mm-hm. So I'll..."

"Talk. Later" Ivy nodded.

"Later yeah that's right" Caleb said with a little chuckle, then walked past Jesus he slapped him on the back "See you soon, man"

"Bye" Jesus smiled to then turn back to Ivy and raise an eyebrow to her "Hm. That was something"

"That was nothing" Ivy laughed breathlessly "What are you doing here anyway? Gym is free till one"

"As you took note of" Jesus teased "No but I just came by to see Coach and cutting through the gym is quicker so"

Ivy nodded "Right"

"You wanna come with?"

"Absolutely not" Ivy shook her head "I avoid him as much as I can. After losing Nate he took the liberty of talking about nothing _but_ Nate. Acting like he cared all of a sudden" Ivy shook her head again "So no, I'd rather not play _the widow_ right now"

"Okay" Jesus said with a little chuckle to her dry joke "I'll see you later on" he began to walk past her and whispered with a smirk still on his face "It was defiantly something"

Ivy sighed and pushed his back, then walking out of the gym and heading back to her classroom. Acting as if that never happened.

* * *

"Mom?" Ivy called as she walked through the front door. Sliding her car keys in her Jean back pockets she called again "Ma are you home?"

Lena was working late tonight and all the kids had things going on after school today. Jesus was off doing something with his new pal Nick, Mariana and Brandon had Romeo and Juliet rehearsals, Callie was visiting Daphne to help get her daughter back and Jude was off with Connor. And clearly Stef wasn't home on time like she said she would be either.

" _All by myself_ " she sung in a mumble as she walked over to the mail. Flicking through them to see if she had any, there was only one thing for her. Ivy went in the draw to get out some duct take she needed to hold up her table leg temporarily before she got Milo to come fix it, finding it buried under all sorts of things when Ivy pulled it up a piece of already opened mail fell to the floor. Ivy groaned and bent down to pick it up. When stood, she swept her hair away from her face as she looked down to the paper.

And what she saw shook her more than anything. Her breath shuddered as her eyes fixated on the words _'INCREASED CANCER. Patient has hereditary Breast & Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) Syndrome' _Ivy hands began to shake so much that she almost dropped the piece of paper. But soon clutched her hands to it as she got a lump in her throat. She didn't have to look at the name. She knew this was about Stef. Not only did the hospital opponent play in the back of her mind but it was also the fact that Stef had been acting weird lately. She did hear Sharon and her argue yesterday afternoon but just thought it was mother and daughter being mother and daughter.

She felt like she was going to be sick. A panic attack was creeping up in her body. Her eyes began to prickle from the tears that filled up. She ran out of the kitchen and ran into her room.

She can't have cancer. It's that simple. Her mother cannot have cancer. Stef was a good loving person who worked hard and loved even harder. Ivy had lost her boyfriend, her baby and herself she cannot lose Stef. Stef is always the one that she has had. Ivy slid her back down the door with the piece of paper crumbled in her fisted hand that she pressed against her forehead. Her breathing was short and quick, finding it hard to even keep up with it. Her whole body began to shake.

"Ivy? Babe are you home?" Ivy heard Stef call from the kitchen door. Ivy opened her eyes and slowly stood up. She took a deep breath with her eyes closed and took her shaky hand to the door handle, eventually finding the courage to open the door and face Stef about what she had found.

Stef had her face turned to only see Ivy come in the corner of her eye as she was looking down at the mail. In her black t-shirt and police pants.

"Hey, so what do we have planned before people get back? _Party of Five_ reruns?" Stef said with a smile, only to look up and have it wiped away when she saw the look on Ivy's face, her brows knitted together "What's wrong?"

Ivy took her watery eyes to look at her mother and held up the piece of paper "You have cancer?"

Stef's face dropped, her words got chocked up in her throat. Ivy shook the paper and said in a straining cry " _Cancer_?"

Stef hitched her breath. She was scared to tell Ivy. Because as much as she had made progress, news like this would just turn her into a vulnerable child who needed her mother. Stef took a heavy gulp and motioned her arms to Ivy to come over to her "Come here, love, I'll explain everything"

Ivy slowly walked over to Stef, completely oblivious to anything around her. Feeling her mother lightly take the paper out of her hand and placed it down in the side. She guided Ivy down to the sofa and sat closely to her. Stef cleared her throat and looked up to Ivy "It's...it's not-"

"As bad as it sounds?" Ivy scoffed.

"I know that's not easy to believe given how aggressive it comes across on the doctors note"

"You told me you were fine"

"I know. I know, and I thought I was. I didn't want to say anything to worry you when it could have been nothing"

Ivy nodded and sighed with tears still streaming down her cheeks "That's why grams is here"

"Yeah" Stef said in a weak mutter as she looked down to her hands, Ivy did the same and took hold of one of them as she asked "How bad is it?"

It fell silent for a moment as Stef tried to gather her thoughts on what to say. She cleared her throat "Well. At first I was told I had stage zero cancer. Which is the risk of getting breast cancer. Mama and I...we talked about me having a hysterectomy but didn't want to do anything too rash...but now I don't have a choice because it's no longer if I get cancer but...but when so..."

"Please don't die" Ivy said under her breath in a cry.

Stef tucked the hair behind Ivy's ears and asked "What?"

Ivy took her eyes to Stef and said clearer, still with her tone wobbling due to her sobs "Please don't die"

Her words struck and stunned Stef for a moment, Ivy just stared at her before breaking down into a cry. Stef quickly took hold of her and held her close as she stroked her hair, with tears of her own now filling up her eyes and running down her cheeks, she said in a cry "I won't baby, I promise you"

"I can't live without you, mom"

"You won't have to" Stef whispered as she kissed the top of her head, then resting her chin on the top of it and saying with a clear and confident voice "Because I am going to be fine, I am going to get surgery and cut this thing out. Everything will go back to normal soon, just wait"

Ivy pulled herself up and went to grab her phone "I'll have to cancel us going to this party"

"What? Ivy don't"

Ivy shook her head, still crying she muttered "You're sick"

"I'm not sick" Stef sighed. She took hold of Ivy again and made her look into her eyes "I am not sick, in fact this thing on Saturday will be good for me, it'll give me a chance to take my mind off of it, so for me, let it be"

Ivy took a deep breath and realised she was acting rash. She was just very spooked and startled by all of this. Ivy dropped her phone and nodded as she whispered "I'm sorry"

"Don't apologise. You hear me? You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing" Stef kissed Ivy's forehead and repeated in a mutter "Nothing"

With her head buried against her mothers chest, Ivy asked "Do the kids know?"

Stef shook her head on top of Ivy's "No, we will tell them soon but...for now just..."

"I know mom"

Ivy tightened her arms around Stef's waist, Stef kissed the top of Ivy's head and sighed deeply. This is not what Stef wanted at all regarding Ivy, she knew the kids could handle it, they'd be scared but they could handle it. Each one of her children has lost someone. They all lost Frank. Callie and Jude lost their mother...but Ivy, she has lost Nate the boy she had loved all her life through a cold blooded murder and held him as he died, she had lost her child, the only thing she had left of him. Losing Stef, who was the single most important person in her life...well...Stef couldn't even bare to think what she would do. She tried to kill herself once and it took Stef to stop her. Who would stop her if she wasn't there to? Who would get there in time?

They planned on telling Ivy as Stef was going into surgery to get things _fixed_ , Ivy would have taken it better. Finding out about the cancer this way makes it worse.

But with the reassurance that Stef has given her, hopefully this won't make Ivy go back down that spiral.

* * *

 **Hi! Sorry it's been so long I was in Cuba for a while and then I had college to deal with.**

 **Anyway I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter! Let's all hope Ivy can keep it together, do you think she will?**

 **Next chapter is the party where Ivy discovers some things about a certain brother and slowly realises she's moving on from Nate**


	18. We're Abandoned

Ivy's last day at the school was over. She had students buying her flowers and chocolates for everything she had done for them over this past year. Ivy also thought it was to do with pity. But that just her cynical view peeking out now and then. Still, she appreciated everything that was said to her and everything that was given. Monte called her into her office to give her a personal farewell. Ivy went to Lena's office last.

"Hey, mama" Ivy said as she peered her head in. Lena looked up with a pen in her mouth and dropped it in her hand "Hey, how's your last day been?"

"As good as last days can go"

"Regret it?"

Ivy scrunched her nose briefly as she shook her head and muttered "Nah"

Lena let out a small smile and nodded. Of course she loved having Ivy work with her but she knew that she wasn't happy, and she was proud that Ivy made the mature and grown up decision to step away "How are you? Since mom told you about...you know"

"I'm not gonna lie I took it hard but, once we talked it we..."Ivy shrugged "She calmed me down, the one of many few people who can actually do that"

Lena stood up and made her way over to her, with a warm smile still on her face. Lena placed her hands on Ivy's arms and said in a soft, gentle tone "It is going to be okay, you know? Your mom is going to get all the help she needs to make sure she'll be okay. They've caught onto this early which is the best time"

Ivy let out a small smile and nodded, her voice was dry and cracked at first "Yeah..." she cleared her throat "Yeah I know, it was just...everything that has happened in my life I just got scared"

"I know, love" Lena brought her in and hugged her tightly. Rubbing her back she muttered "We're so proud of you"

Ivy grinned and squeezed onto Lena tighter and whispered "Thanks ma"

They pulled away, Lena placed her hands on Ivy's cheeks and kissed the lower part of her forehead.

* * *

As she began to drive home, Ivy drove past a construction site. And saw someone she didn't expect to see. Ivy pulled up outside the construction site to see Jesus _arguing_ or at least being told off by an older guy.

"Jesus!" Ivy called as she brought her sunglasses off of her face and rested them on the top of her head. Jesus and the man looked to her. She was pointed at by the man, she couldn't hear what they were saying clearly it was all muffled speech from the distant they were at. Then, the man took hold of Jesus's sleeve and walked him over to the car, he pointed to Ivy again "Who are you?"

Ivy raised her eyebrows "I'm his sister, who the hell are you?"

The man looked at Jesus and shook his head "I'm nobody" he opened the car door and motioned his hand for Jesus to get in the car. Jesus rolled his eyes and did so. The man looked up to Ivy again and said in a more polite and calm tone with his eyebrows risen "Keep your brother away from here, and away from me...please"

Ivy just looked confused, she watched the guy walk away and then looked to Jesus's miserable face "Think we better talk, don't you?"

Jesus said nothing, he just silently scoffed. Ivy sighed and muttered as she turned the engine back on "You look like me two months ago"

Ivy didn't go to the house. She pulled up at the burger shack and sat at their regular table. Ivy pointed to Jesus "Stay here...usual?"

Jesus just nodded. Ivy walked over to Marty, who gave her a big grin "Hey, on another date?"

"Ha. No. That wasn't a date and I'm with Jesus"

He looked over her shoulder "Ah. I believe he'll be having Dr Pepper and you an iced latte?"

"You know us so well" Ivy laughed.

"I'll bring them over" Marty smiled. Ivy nodded and walked back over to the table. She sat facing Jesus, he didn't look up at her. Ivy stared at him, then looked out to the beach as she said "Come on" she looked back to him "Out with it"

"Out with what?" he sharply answered.

"Out with who that guy was"

Jesus finally looked up at Ivy, Ivy looked at him with a soft expression written across her face "You aren't talk to moms here, you're talking to me"

Jesus sat up straight and groaned another quiet sigh, but he knew that she was right. He was always able to open up to Ivy about anything. But still, he felt slightly embarrassed "His name is Gabe...he's...my dad"

Ivy let out a brief breathless, shocked laugh "Wha...you're serious?"

Jesus's answer was a simple nod. Ivy's eyebrows pinched together as she tilted her head "How did you find him? Why would you want to?"

They paused their conversation for a moment as their drinks were placed in front of them.

"I don't know I...Nick asked me about my dad and I didn't know what to tell him and I got wondering...it was Adriana that told me who he was. I started doing work on the construction, I didn't tell him who I was until yesterday"

"Wow" Ivy muttered under her breath, she shook her head "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Cause I feel like no-one would understand, everyone has a father. Callie has Robert and Donald, Jude has Donald, Brandon has Mike..."

"And who do Mariana and I have?"

Her words struck Jesus, he never really considered that. Ivy kept a soft accepting smile, letting him know that she didn't mean it in a harsh or offended way. Ivy pointed to herself and lightly laughed "Abandoned child who never knew her daddy right here"

"I'm sorry"

"You don't have to be sorry, Jesus, I get that you didn't tell Mari because she never really wanted to know about her birth father but...I would've understood"

Jesus raised his eyebrows "You went looking for yours?"

Ivy nodded as she licked her bottom lip "Mm-hm. When I was your age, actually"

"And? Did you find him?"

Ivy scoffed and shook her head "No...no turns out I really just happened by a one night stand in a club toilet"

Jesus frowned and looked down to the table, he didn't like that. He didn't like Ivy pin herself down as something like that. As some mistake. Jesus sighed and shook his head as he then looked back up to her "Well. He doesn't want anything to do with me"

"Then it's his loss, babe, cause you're a pretty great guy. The best I know...and knowing your dad isn't what makes you"

Jesus sighed and looked out to the beach and then scoffed "You know it sucks because he liked me before he knew who I was"

Ivy stretched her hand over the table and took hold of his "If it helps. I've liked you all my life"

Jesus let out a loud laugh and shook his head at her down right bad joke. Ivy rubbed the hand she was holding with her other and smiled as she looked at him, smiling at the fact that she was able to make him crack a smile.

"Listen. If you ever feel bad about this or feel down about it. Come and talk to me, I know how it feels to feel alone. Even though we have a brilliant and loving family...we are what we are"

"And that is?"

Ivy shrugged "Abandoned. We were picked up and we were loved but the thing is, we were abandoned by our birth parents. And that stings to think about. But don't do do what I did. Don't let it bottle up inside you, cause that'll only make you bitter, remember?"

"Yeah you were a bit of a nightmare" Jesus dryly joked.

"I was. Because I closed myself off. So don't do that" Ivy smiled. She leaned over the table and kissed Jesus's cheek "I love you, brother"

"I love you, sister" Jesus muttered with a smile.

* * *

After dropping Jesus off at home, promising she wouldn't say anything about this birth dad situation. Stef and Lena had enough on their hands and she wanted to make life easier for them. She stayed in the car and beeped the horn, waiting for Mariana and Callie since she said that she'd take them shopping for the party tomorrow. Callie and Mariana ran out and jumped in the back of Ivy's car.

"Hey!" Ivy looked up and saw Sharon close the front door behind her and beginning to walk down the stairs.

"Shit" Ivy muttered, making the girls giggle "What do you want?" Ivy said with a smirk.

"I'm coming with you!"

"Why?"

Sharon opened the door and sat in the front beside Ivy and smiled "I have nothing to wear for tomorrow night!"

Ivy rolled her eyes with a small smile "Fine" she then looked to Sharon and raised her eyebrows. Sharon smiled, knowing what she was being asked and whispered "She's fine"

Ivy smiled and muttered "Good" she turned her engine on and began to drive off.

When they reached the mall, Sharon insisted that all the new clothes would be on her. And the girls insisted on letting that be the case. Mariana, of course had to be the leader in picking out what would be the best for people to where. And her key project today was of course Ivy. Playing cupid was something that really fit on her.

"Mari, I can pick my own dress"

Mariana looked up from looking through the dresses and held her finger up "No, no...I mean yes you have a nice style but tomorrow night is not for looking like you've just come home from coachella" Ivy let out a breathless laugh and looked to Callie and Sharon for some sense of support, but the look on their faces clearly showed that they were on Mariana's side. Sharon pointed to Mariana and nodded "She's got a point, babe"

"Yeah...this is a forties style" Callie said.

"I know I know and I-"

"Have found the one!" Mariana exclaimed as she called her hands together. She took the dress off of the rack and held it up, taking it over to Ivy. Callie and Sharon both gasped and then nodded over and over again "Yes" they said in unison. Ivy, with a smirk on her face, looked to Callie and Sharon, with her tongue skimming across her top set of teeth. She then slowly shook her head and raised her eyebrows "Is it not too..."

"Perfect?" Mariana said as she held onto the dress and shook it with excitement, Mariana then teased "Oh I see. She doesn't want to look too fantastic in case Caleb will fall in love with her even more"

Callie and Sharon crossed their arms and nodded as they both hummed "Mm hm"

"I'm never bringing friends of the male gender home again" Ivy muttered as she looked down to her shoes.

" _Boyfriends_ more like" Sharon added.

"Grams!" Ivy whined as she lifted her head.

"I'm sorry but the only boys you ever brought home were Milo who is with Lottie and Nate who was yours so forgive us if we don't buy it"

Ivy rolled her eyes with a small smile, she stared at Mariana and then the dress, finally giving in she snatched it "Gimme the damn dress then" she made her way into the changing rooms, to leave the three of them impatiently waiting. After a minute or two. Ivy opened the curtain with the dress on. Mariana, Callie and Sharon all let out a gasp. Sharon's hands flew to her mouth "Oh! Baby you look beautiful"

Callie high fived Mariana as she said "You're a genius. Ivy you look amazing"

"See" Mariana sang "This is the one! Wasn't I right"

Ivy looked at herself in the mirror and slowly nodded "Yeah...you were right"

* * *

 **Just a bit of a filler chapter leading up to Caleb's party which is going to have some big moments :)**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the little Ivy/Jesus scene.**

 **Please leave reviews.**


	19. Happy Birthday

_Saturday night, 6:55pm._

Everyone was excited for the party. It allowed them all to get really dressed up. Jesus felt like he was dressed up as something out of the Great Gatsby.

They had to leave in a few minutes in order to get to the party at a good time. Not too early but not too late. Stef and Lena were downstairs in the kitchen. Stef was wearing the blue dress that she wore for Mariana's party. With her hair tied up in loose curls. Lena wore a dark purple dress, keeping her hair the same. And Sharon wore a blood orange dress, also keeping her hair the same.

The boys all looked like they were going to wedding with their suits. Callie wore burgundy dress, with her hair similar to Stef's and Mariana wore a cream dress, her hair down with big curls.

"So how far away is the place?" Lena asked as she looked down to her phone, checking the time.

"It's about fifteen minutes" Stef answered with a small shrug. Sharon soon came running down the stairs, practically crashing into Stef, making her jump "Jeez, Ma, what is it?"

Sharon looked at her, practically beaming.

"You should see your daughter"

Lena laughed "Which one?"

"Well _all_ of them but. Ivy looks-"

"Amazing!" Mariana finished off as she also came running downstairs. Stef and Lena laughed and then gazed at their daughter "Well so do you!" Lena said as she and Stef got a good look at their daughter. Mariana placed her hand on her heart and fluttered her eyelashes "Thank you! You two look amazing too. But I seriously have to take a lot of credit for Ivy. I, the fashion guru that I am picked out the perfect dress for her. Caleb is going to be on his knees"

Stef raised an eyebrows and she leaned against the table "Mariana, are you by any chance trying to set those two up?"

"Well you two are hardly doing anything it seems like I'm going to have to"

Stef and Lena looked at each other with amused smirks on their faces. They couldn't exactly object or tell her not to do that, because the fact of the matter is. They both really hoped that Mariana's little plans to set them up works in the end. All the boys then came down one by one, with Callie still upstairs with Ivy.

"Look at my grandsons all so handsome!" Sharon gleamed as she clapped her hands together. The boys all gave blushing smiles as looked away from her. Lena looked back down to her phone and saw the time. She looked upstairs and called "Callie! Ivy! We gotta get going soon"

They all moved from the kitchen towards the front door, Sharon straightening up Jesus's suit whilst the others made themselves occupied in conversation. Then hearing the pair of footsteps come down. They all looked up and saw Callie walk down the stairs with a bright smile, then looking down to the floor as her mothers and grandmother dominated her with compliments.

Ivy then came down the stairs, everyone's breath was taken away. Her hair was in 40s loose curls that travelled down to her shoulder blades. The dress that Mariana had picked out for her was a blood red figure cut dress that went all the way down to her ankles. Her lips were coated in a ruby red matte lipstick. Mariana did her eyeshadow to give it a black smoky looked.

After such a long time of Ivy never wanting to leave the house, making her comeback to the party scene was certainly one that has gone off with a bang. She was simply stunning.

Lena, with a gaping look said "Oh wow, Ivy honey you look stunning"

Ivy rubbed her lips together as she blushed. Stef walked forward as Ivy came to the bottom of the stairs, Stef scanned her face up and down and with a loving smile she whispered with a wink "Beautiful"

"Ditto there" Ivy raised her eyebrows "Still got the fire there, mom"

"Now you're just being too nice" Stef muttered with a smirk as she took her hand. Ivy looked at her whole family gaping at her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head "Guys come on let's just go!"

They all let out a muffled laugh, Brandon opened the door and they all walked out one by one. Jesus held back and held out his arm for Ivy to link. She let out a light laugh and linked his arm as they walked out of the house. Jesus turned his head to her and smiled "Am I allowed to say?"

Ivy rolled her eyes "Sure"

"You look great. Best emotional wreck I've ever seen" Jesus dryly joked, Ivy let out a bluttering laugh and muttered "Well it takes one to know one"

Jesus laughed as they walked over to the car.

"Ivy are you going to drive?" Stef asked with caution. Making it clear that all she wanted to know is if Ivy was going to be drinking. Ivy hadn't touched alcohol properly for a little while ago. The last one she had was that beer round the campfire with Caleb, and that was practically nothing. Ivy going out to an event like this did make her worry that she would go back to drinking more hardcore like she used to when she would go out on her own and get smashed to numb the pain she was going through. But Ivy didn't frown or roll her eyes, she actually smiled, finding it both amusing and sweet how Stef was still trying to be a subtle protective mother. Ivy turned and nodded as she pulled her keys out of her small shoulder bag "Yeah. Yeah I'm not drinking tonight so I may as well, beats you two having to drive separate cars"

"We don't mind, love" Lena shrugged.

"No, seriously it's fine, I'm not just not drinking because of driving I just don't plan on doing it altogether so" Ivy shrugged and then gave them a small smile.

Jesus, Mariana and Jude all went in the car with Ivy as Brandon, Callie and Sharon got in the car with Stef and Lena. Lena volunteered as to be the one to not drink, she wasn't much of an alcohol lover anyway.

Ivy turned on the engine of the car. Mariana smiled and sat from the back next to Jude "Alright! Off to our future brother in laws party!"

Jesus and Jude muttered a laugh. Ivy smirked and suddenly pulled an emergency halt as she just began to drive, which made Mariana almost leap forward onto Jesus.

Ivy, with a smug smile on her face then said "Put your seatbelt on"

* * *

Caleb stood at the front of the club he rented out and made it look like a speakeasy and welcomed his guest, thanking them for coming. Caleb looked up and saw Ivy walk in first. And she certainly took his breath away. Caleb grinned as she walked over to him, with her family trailing behind, _slowly_ on purpose of course. They wanted to see his reaction, and it was worth it.

"Well. You scrub up well, Miss Foster" Caleb muttered with a smirk and his eyebrows raised.

Ivy grinned and shrugged "Hm. You look pretty good yourself, Mr Helsom" she put her hand on his shoulder as his hand went to her waist, they leaned forward and gave each other an innocent welcoming kiss on the cheek. Ivy smiled and then rubbed his cheek that had lipstick stuck to it. She then leaned forward again and whispered "Happy Birthday"

"Thanks" Caleb muttered with a smile.

The family quickly made their way over to him after they saw that Caleb and Ivy had their little moment. Caleb smiled and greeted them all as they gave him their happy birthday messages. Caleb laughed and said to Stef "Sure is different than the cop outfit"

Stef laughed and patted his chest, lightly tugging on his suit jacket "Well I could say the same to you. I think we look pretty damn good"

"Stef if you weren't a married woman I'd be hitting on you right now. So yeah, you do pretty damn good"

"If I weren't married or _gay_ you mean" Stef laughed.

"Well, yeah there's that too" Caleb chuckled. Stef dropped her hand from Caleb's jacket and added in a whisper "Not to mention if you weren't holding a torch for my daughter"

"There's a lot of hypothetical theories flying around" Caleb laughed as he shook his head, then changing the subject he nodded over to the bar and said "Go on, get to the bar. Go drink your body weight in beer"

"I'm more of a margarita kind of gal" Stef said as she began to walk over to the bar where Lena was. Caleb slipped his hands in his pockets and teased "Very James Bond"

His eyes shifted to Ivy who was laughing and chatting with Mariana, before her eyes fell to Caleb's gaze. Caleb saw her round up her conversation with Mariana and rubbed her back as she then walked over to him, with an eyebrow raised "Staring, you do that often do you know that" she smirked as she folded her arms.

"It's your fault" Caleb shrugged.

"What? Why?" Ivy asked in a higher pitched laugh.

"You. You're very distracting right now" Caleb said as he looked away from her, Ivy kept her eyes locked on him. Suddenly making her get butterflies which was something that he had never given her before. She's used to seeing him everyday, he just always there but she didn't see him at all yesterday, which surprisingly made her feel like she missed him a little. Though she wouldn't tell him that. She couldn't have him getting a bigger ego.

Caleb looked back to her and tilted his head "What?"

Ivy laughed with her arms crossed "What?"

Caleb smirked and teased her as he quoted her "Staring, you do that often do you know that?"

Ivy rolled her eyes and lightly slapped his arm. Caleb slid his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat as he nodded to Stef who was by the bar "Is she alright?"

Ivy looked over her shoulder as she heard him add "You've been pretty protective over her. More than usual"

Ivy kept her eyes lingering on Stef for a moment longer and bowed her head down momentarily as she looked back up to him, she let out a long shrug and sighed. Caleb wasn't stupid, he got the message and nodded "Kind of a family thing"

"For the time being, yeah. But..she's gonna be fine"

"Good" Caleb said with a whisper and a smile. An elderly woman soon came over and put her arm in link with Caleb "Dear, your Aunt June wants to see you"

Caleb sighed and then put on a smile "Alright I'll be coming right over" he then looked back to Ivy and motioned his hand to her "Grandma this is Ivy, Ivy this is my Grandma Ruth"

Ivy smiled brightly and shook the old womans wrinkled hand "Nice to meet you"

"Lovely to meet you dear, she's a pretty one Caleb, prettier than the last-"

"Okay!" Caleb laughed "Let's go see Aunt June" Caleb looked to Ivy and whispered, nodding to his Grandmother "She's eighty five and a little loopy"

Ivy raised her eyebrow and just gave him a nod as she played along "Of course"

Caleb laughed, then being dragged away by her Grandmother even more. Ivy watched him walk away for a moment, with a small smile on her face, she looked down to the floor and let her smile briefly grow before turning back around and walked over to Stef as Lena was dragged away by Mariana to dance.

"Hello mother"

"Mother. Very formal" Stef teased.

Ivy raised an eyebrow "Would you rather me go back to _Aunt Stef_?"

"No" Stef quickly answered with a grin as she took Ivy's hand and winked "Never"

The pair of them then looked to Mariana and Lena dancing. Ivy laughed along with Stef, her eyebrows pinched together "We've been here for like what? Five minutes"

Stef shook her head as she chuckled "Doesn't matter to Mariana, she'd have danced her way in here"

"Yeah she would have, if not for the spying you and the rest of my beloved family were doing when I walked into greet Caleb" Ivy smirked as she looked over to Stef. She watched how Stef tried to keep a straight and innocent face, she raised her eyebrows to Ivy and then broke out a smile "Were we that obvious?"

"I don't know what you guys are trying to achieve" Ivy turned and faced the bar, ordering herself a non alcohol cocktail. Stef kept her eyes on Ivy "For you to be happy"

"I am" Ivy laughed and then gave a grateful expression to the bartender as he put the drink in front of her.

"I mean happy with someone who is _not_ in this family"

Ivy slowly swirled her straw around in her drink, her smile slowly dropped. Stef moved in closer to her and put her hand on Ivy's back "What is it?" she asked softly. Feeling as if she already knew the answer.

"I don't have time for any of that...especially now"

"Ivy. Don't put your life on hold. Not for me"

"My priority is to be there for you" Ivy said as she took her eyes to Stef "You're my everything, mom" she then shrugged "You've _always_ been my everything, it's always been that simple to me"

"But I shouldn't be"

Ivy's eyebrows pinched together "Are you joking?"

"No...listen to me love, I love how much you care and you have such a big heart. But you don't have to block that big heart up for me" Stef pushed a piece of Ivy's hair behind her ear and carried on with what she was saying "If you want me to be happy, then what you can do is to not shut your life down for me and because of what's happened and be happy, babe, cause deep down, I think you know what you really want"

Ivy sighed and went to deny, but Stef quickly added "I know you better than anyone, love"

Ivy looked over to Caleb and then back to Stef. Stef stared at her and sighed, tilting her head "Is this about Nate?"

Ivy pursed her lips as she shrugged "No. I mean. It's kind of that but not because I think he'd be mad at me or anything. It's more that…" Ivy sighed and lightly scratched her forehead before dropping her hand back down onto the bar "If I were to ever want something with _him_ " Ivy nodded over to Caleb and shook her head "I need to tell him everything"

"You mean...about Jason?"

"And the baby"

Stef shook her head "Ivy you don't have to do that"

"I know, but I'd want to do that. I mean, he told me something really personal about his past…." Ivy sighed and then laughed "But I'll stress about that later"

"So you're admitting that you like him" Stef said with a warm smile. Ivy rolled her eyes and shook her head "I'm saying I feel _something_ "

Stef cupped Ivy's face and smiled "Well something is a big step up from nothing"

Ivy smiled and slightly bowed her head down as Stef placed a kiss on her forehead "I'm proud of you"

"And I'm proud of you" Ivy muttered back. Stef smiled and rubbed Ivy's arm. To then soon be joined by Sharon, who already had an extra large cocktail in her hand.

* * *

The night grew later, and the party was in full swing. Jesus looked over and saw Caleb laughing and joking with his dad. He bowed his head down and looked away quickly. Ivy watched him and put her arm over him as she looked over to Caleb for a brief moment "You alright?"

Jesus looked at her and nodded, saying unconvincingly "Yeah I'm good"

"You can always talk to moms about this, maybe they could work something out"

"No they can't" Jesus shook his head. Ivy tilted her head "What makes you say that?"

Jesus sighed as he looked to her and said "He's on the sex offender register"

Ivy stared at him, not knowing what to say. She dropped her hand from his back and crossed her arms "Okay yeah you can't say anything to them. You have to keep away from him too"

"I asked Ana about it"

"What?" Ivy said with an exhausted sigh, rubbing her forehead. Jesus shrugged "What? I had to know. He didn't do anything wrong it was just because she was fifteen when they-"

"Jesus, you still need to stay away, he may not have done anything truly wrong but you will get him into trouble" Ivy then smiled and lightly shook him "Anyway try not to think about that. Take your mind off of things, it's what we're all trying to do"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ivy realised what she said after quickly getting told by the little person in her head called her an idiot for saying it. The kids don't know yet, idiot. Ivy looked at him and scoffed a small laugh as she shrugged "Nothing, just, tonight is a night where you can just leave all the crap going on behind for now. Like I am with...everything" she laughed, then giving him a quick kiss on cheek "Just have fun"

Jesus gave a tight smile and nodded. Then a familiar song then came on. Ivy couldn't help but smirk. Jesus raised an eyebrow "What?"

"It's nothing it's just-"

Caleb then cleared his throat as _Young and Beautiful_ played, Ivy took her eyes to him "Seriously?"

Caleb nodded and held his hand out "Come on, to be fair. You didn't even finish the damn song"

Ivy glanced to Jesus who just smiled and nudged her forward. Ivy let out another brief sigh and slapped her hand into Caleb's as he walked her onto the dance floor. Caleb gave Jesus a wink as the young man gave him a thumbs up.

Ivy looked at him with a warm smile as she rested her hand on his shoulder as the other rested in his hand, he took hold of her waist and brought her close.

Caleb raised his eyebrows to her and teased in a mutter "You better not step on my toes"

"Please" Ivy lightly laughed. As they softly rocked side to side.

"Are the family staring?" Ivy whispered. Caleb took his eyes to the side and laugh as he looked back at her with his piercing blue eyes "They are. I think your grandma just winked at me"

"Hardly surprising" Ivy muttered as she looked down to the floor for a small moment before looking back up to him. Ivy tilted her head "So, your family seem like a lively bunch" Caleb looked over his family briefly, their happy drunken states, he couldn't help but laugh "Yeah well, I've been trying to keep them away from you. God only knows what the hell they'd say"

"Oh I've already met your mom and cousin Stacey tonight"

"What?"

Ivy laughed at his mortified face, momentarily putting her head on his shoulder before looking up at the ceiling "Let me see, I am prettier than you laid on. But I am everything how you described, and also they don't think I'm _painfully sarcastic_ at all"

Caleb let out a nervous laugh "That... _that_ comment was made when we first met"

"I gathered" Ivy muttered as she smirked at his nervous face. He let out a breathless grin "Water under the bridge now"

"So you don't think I'm painfully sarcastic?"

"Oh you are still sarcastic as hell but it's no longer painful" Caleb chuckled.

"Well you're no longer painfully arrogant"

"So. I'm growing on you"

"Possibly" Ivy said in a soft whisper. Caleb hummed with a cocky smirk. Ivy looked away from him for a moment. She then looked back to Caleb and asked "Would she have liked this? Your sister"

"Dressing up like... _Clara Bow_? She would've loved it. We loved all of this old shit"

"I do too" Ivy smiled as she looked around.

"And that alone would have got you brownie points" Caleb said with a small grin. Ivy looked into his eyes, soon, she found herself lost in them. Gazing. Caleb found himself soon doing the same. It was like being back at that campfire all over again.

 _"Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful...will you still love me when I got nothing but my aching soul. I know you will. I know you will. I know that you will"_

Mariana leaned to Stef and whispered "Is it just me or are they going to?…"

"It's not just you" Stef said as she shook her head. Not being able to take her eyes away. Callie and Jude who sat on a table near by also looked on. Whereas Jesus had wandered off. Taking a bottle of vodka he quickly swiped from behind the bar with him. Not exactly what Ivy had in mind when she said for him to try and forget about his problems. Brandon was stood with the rest of them by the bar, trying to stop his sister, mothers and grandma from spying. But he must admit, even he wanted to see.

Slowly, Ivy felt herself gravitating towards him, her lips getting closer to his. Her eyes closed briefly, but then. Caleb pulled back and walked off. Which surprised not only Ivy, but the whole family. Ivy stood there for a moment, she looked at Callie and Jude's stunned face. Ivy then let out a confused small smile. She turned and saw Caleb walk out onto the balcony. Ivy licked her bottom lip as she tilted her head and then followed him out.

Ivy shut the glass french doors behind her and stared at him, as he kept his back to her and eyes set on the view in front of him. None of the family went on to spy. They decided to let them talk it out instead of egging them on.

Ivy put her hands together as she walked over to him. She rested her arms on the metal bar of the glass balcony. Caleb sighed and shook his head "Sorry for cutting the dance short...again"

"It's fine. Question for you though"

"Hm"

"Why did you?" Ivy asked as she took her eyes to him. Caleb let out a small amused huff and shook his head as he looked down at his hands "Cause I err...wanted to kiss you"

"Oh?"

"Yeah" Caleb said with another laugh "Sorry. I know you're not exactly ready for any of that, you're still a closed book"

Ivy closed her eyes and rubbed her lips together, with her eyes still closed she said "I caused it"

Opening her eyes to seeing Caleb in the corner of them looking at her. Caleb turned his body to her and shrugged "Caused what?"

"Nate's death. Well. Kind of caused it anyway. The man who shot him was my ex boyfriend that I had back in San Francisco. He went crazy through me ending things with him, did some terrible things to me in attempts to get me back, including stalking me back here, threatening my family and Nathan. I didn't do enough to stop him. I should have nipped it in the bud there and then as soon as I saw him but I was too scared"

Caleb shook his head "Ivy you don't have to tell me this-"

"And the night Nate died, he proposed to me after he was shot, and when I saw that I was losing him and I saw Jason just stood there I got up and ran over to him...put the barrel of the gun to my forehead"

 _"Just kill me! Just kill me Jason"_

Ivy shrugged "Told him to finish it. To kill me. He pulled the trigger but there were no bullets"

Caleb felt his hands beginning to shake he didn't know why exactly. But it was making him nervous, making him feel sick in the pit of his stomach. He gulped bitterly and said "How long did he get?"

"Life. No chance of parole. So at least that was something but..."

"But?"

"Couple of weeks after that I found out I was pregnant" Ivy looked to Caleb and saw the shocked look on his face, she nodded as she looked back to the view "Yeah that was pretty much my reaction to. At first I freaked, not knowing how the hell I could raise a baby without him, for a split second abortion did run through my head. Only a split second because I soon realized that this baby would be a part of him. Found out I was having a boy. I was happy...merely a few months before I was due, I lost him. Stillborn. Had to give birth to him. Had to bury him" Ivy sighed and shook her head "Fucked me up"

Caleb let out a deep breath and stood up straight as he let all this information sink in. It certainly explains how Ivy got to how she was. He never knew that it was that deep in regards to Nate's death. When he saw that he was shot, he just assumed it was a random crime act. But this was twisted and detailed. Caleb shook his head and cleared his throat "Wow I'm sorry"

"I didn't tell you for you to be sorry. I'm telling because I wanted to get it off my chest to you"

"To me?"

"Yeah" Ivy nodded, then letting out another sigh and admitting "Because I wanted you to kiss me"

His face dropped into an expression of none other than complete shock. Ivy nodded "Surprised me too if it makes you feel any better"

"It does a little"

Ivy laughed breathlessly and shook her head. It fell silent between the two of them Caleb sighed and shook his head "Look I get it, you've been through a lot, I've always got that...I've always tried to understand you" Caleb turned, his back now pressing against the balcony. His put his hands behind him, still resting on the bar he looked in the party and said nothing more.

Ivy just stared at him, then, without thinking or warning. Her fingers ran through the back of his head, gripping hold of it she turned his head to her and clashed his lips against hers. Caleb gripped hold of her waist and pulled her close as he turned his body to hers. Ivy's arms wrapped loosely around his neck, then wrapping tighter around his neck as his arms wrapped tighter around her waist. As their tongues brushed together, she let out a soft moan. Butterflies were going off like crazy in her stomach.

Caleb couldn't help but smile against her lips as he held onto her tightly. Ivy cupped his face and pulled back for a moment, then giving him a quick soft final kiss. She let out a flustered smile and patted his chest as he slowly released her. Ivy looked into his eyes and then laughed as she looked at the redness that was from her lipstick on the corner of his top lip, she licked her thumb and rubbed it off.

Sliding her body out of his, she gave him a small smile as she walked backwards to the door, then turning around and walking back into the party. Leaving him there, rather speechless.


End file.
